Research Guides: HIST 150: Writing Early American Lives (Fall 2023): Activity: Who writes someone's life?

Encyclopedia Activity

Below are encyclopedia articles about Richard Bland (1710-1776), namesake of Richard Bland College and a William & Mary alum who became a notable Virginia politician and active figure of the early American Revolution.
In your groups, skim and compare the entries, considering:
- Who is the intended audience?
- Based on the title of the encyclopedia, what is the larger context?
- What aspects of his life does each account emphasize?
- How useful would this source be for assignments in this class?
In short, how does intended audience, publication date, and overall subject of the encyclopedia itself shape the content & usefulness of a biographical account?

Entries

Kneebone, John T., and Sara B. Bearss. Dictionary of Virginia Biography. Richmond: Library of Virginia, 1998. https://wm.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01COWM_INST/1tc7lat/alma991010517139703196
The Dictionary of Virginia Biography (DVB) is an ongoing biographical reference work covering all centuries, regions, and categories of Virginia's history and culture. Based on research in often underused primary sources, this dynamic project is rewriting Virginia history one life at a time, and many of the entries offer the first reliable biography about these subjects. The DVB highlights women, African Americans, Indians, and others whose lives have rarely been studied. By broadening the definition of who, and what, is important, these biographies have begun to reshape the narrative of Virginia's history.
The first volume of the DVB, published in 1998, covers surnames from Aaroe through Blanchfield. Volume 2 (2001) covers surnames from Bland through Cannon, and volume 3 (2006) includes surnames from Caperton through Daniels. Biographies for surnames after Daniels are published online only, some in partnership with Virginia Humanities, at Encyclopedia Virginia, with digital media and primary source material.
The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography. New York: James T. White, 1892.https://wm.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01COWM_INST/1tc7lat/alma991001860189703196
This a 63 volume collection contains biographical articles for over 66,500 individuals, sometimes including portraits of Americans. Sources & authors are not listed, and it has been described by Rutgers librarian Natalie Borisovets as "The most extensive, and least scholarly, of the major biographical sets." The primary method of data collection was by sending questionnaires to subjects or their relatives.

Detweiler, Robert. "Bland, Richard (1710-1776), colonial and revolutionary statesman." American National Biography. 1 Feb. 2000; Accessed 17 Sep. 2023. https://www-anb-org.proxy.wm.edu/view/10.1093/anb/9780198606697.001.0001/anb-9780198606697-e-0100077.
Discover biographies of more than 19,000 men and women — from all eras and walks of life — whose lives have shaped American history and culture.Featuring thousands of illustrations, and tens of thousands of hyperlinked cross-references and links to other (select) websites, the ANB is a powerful research tool for all levels of study.

Published in 24 volumes in 1999 and then online in 2000, the ANB won instant acclaim as the new authority in American biographies.

Kolp, John G. "Bland, Richard (1710–1776), revolutionary politician in America." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. 23 Sep. 2004; Accessed 17 Sep. 2023. https://www-oxforddnb-com.proxy.wm.edu/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198
The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford DNB) is the national record of men and women who have shaped British history and culture, worldwide, from the Romans to the 21st century. The Dictionary offers concise, up-to-date biographies written by named, specialist authors. It is overseen by academic editors at Oxford University, UK, and published by Oxford University Press. In 60 volumes, ODNB includes "60,000+ people, 11,000+ portraits, 72 million words, 2,500 years of history."