Virtual Reference Desk

Recommend a Website

How we select an External Website

Center for Rural Development

This nonprofit organization promotes development programs to serve rural Kentuckians and improve the quality of life in southern and eastern Kentucky. Their website provides links to training and employment opportunities and cultural events.

Kentucky Communities Economic Opportunity Council

The Council "develops and administers programs that will help eliminate poverty and enable people to work toward self-sufficiency." Their website provides information on about their programs and services including Community Services Block Grants, Head Start, and Women's Emergency Support Center.

Southeastern Kentucky Housing and Homeless Alliance

This organization provides crises and intervention programs to homeless people and families in southeastern Kentucky. Their website provides online resources, information and contacts for housing, education, transportation, employment services, and hotline numbers for crises intervention.

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Social Science: General

The States Inventory Project Website

The project is a database clearinghouse which tracks state information infrastructures strategies and activities and it can be used to do a state-by-state comparative analysis of those strategies and activities. You can search it by state, category, or keyword. This is an excellent website for everyone.

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Children

UNICEF

"UNICEF is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children's rights." This is an excellent site to locate statistical data on children's rights, educational attainment, life expectancy and the impact of AIDS on children worldwide. The State of the World's Children section contains additional statistical data.

ChildStats.gov

This web site offers easy access to federal and state statistics and reports on children and their families, including: population and family characteristics, economic security, health, behavior and social environment, and education.

Civil Rights

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Civil Rights: Overview

Civil Rights Symposium, Frankfort Kentucky

This site will allow you to view video of the two keynote speakers as well as access other supporting materials. The symposium dates February, 2000.

Bibliography of Traditional Materials on Civil Rights

This bibliography was compiled by Betsy Brinson, Ph.D., at the Kentucky Historical Society. It lists books and articles that will help you to identify print resources on race relations in America.

Policy.com-Race in America

"Policy.com examines the social, political and economic impact of race in America." This is a good starting place for information on current issues affecting race relations.

Civil Rights: Kentucky

Civil Rights March in Frankfort, 1964

At this site, see a photograph of Jackie Robinson, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Georgia Davis Powers as they marched in Frankfort, Kentucky.

The Daily Aesthetic

Learn about the parks and recreational spaces of African American communities prior to legal integration of public facilities in 1956. It includes discussions on the history of Lexington's black park system.

Kentucky Administrative Regulations

This site contains the Kentucky Administrative Regulations on Human Rights as it relates to equal rights for employment and housing. This site is best used for identifying Kentucky statutes.

Kentucky Commission on Human Rights

The Commission handles reports of discrimination and violations of the Kentucky Civil Rights Act and educates the public concerning their rights under the law. The Commission just recently celebrated its 40th anniversary and you can view video clips from the celebration (requires Windows Media Player).

Civil Rights: Law and Legislation

ACLU-American Civil Liberties Union

"The American Civil Liberties Union is the nation's foremost advocate of individual rights -- litigating, legislating, and educating the public on a broad array of issues affecting individual freedom in the United States." This is a great place to keep current on civil rights issues.

United States Commission on Civil Rights

The Commission on Civil Rights is an independent agency of the Executive Branch. The commission serves as a national clearinghouse for information about discrimination or denial of equal protection of the laws because of race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, or national origin.

US Department of Justice: Office for Civil Rights

"The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) ensures that no person, based on race, national origin, color, sex, religion, disability, or age is excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, subjected to discrimination under, or denied employment in connection with any activity, program, or service receiving federal financial assistance." This is a good site for employers to use in locating up-to-date information on civil rights requirements.

Civil Rights: Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

This site contains information on Martin Luther King, Jr., the civil rights movement, and the creating of the holiday. This is a great place to begin researching Martin Luther King and the civil rights movement.

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Papers Project

At this site, you will find secondary documents written about Martin Luther King, Jr. Access to primary documents written during Dr. King's life is available here. This is a first-rate site for researching Martin Luther King.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Center

"The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change is dedicated to carrying forward the legacy and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. through research, education and training in the principles, philosophy and methods of nonviolence."

Civil Rights: Organizations

Southern Poverty Law Center

The Southern Poverty Law Center is a nonprofit organization that combats hate, intolerance, and discrimination. This site provides information on anti-hate legislation, resources for teaching tolerance and a listing of hate groups.

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People

"The NAACP, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, is the oldest, largest and strongest civil rights organization in the United States. "

ACLU-American Civil Liberties Union

"The American Civil Liberties Union is the nation's foremost advocate of individual rights -- litigating, legislating, and educating the public on a broad array of issues affecting individual freedom in the United States. This is a great place to keep current on civil rights issues."

Civil Rights: Primary Sources

Voices of the Civil Rights Era

This site contains an archive of speeches by Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and others. To listen to these speeches, you will need an internet plug-in such as RealPlayer.

Civil Rights March in Frankfort, 1964

At this site, see a photograph of Jackie Robinson, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Georgia Davis Powers as they marched in Frankfort, Kentucky.

KODAK: Powerful Days in Black and White

This site is a pictorial history of the civil rights movement, taken by photojournalist Charles Moore.

Crime

Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI)

This site provides information from the Federal Bureau of Investigations that publishes the Uniform Crime Reports, Hate Crime Statistics, and Interim Crime Statistics.

National Center for Victims of Crime

This site has up-to-date statistics, legislative overviews, bibliographies and organization referrals on 66 topics, including crime victims' rights, specific types of victimization, victim traumatization, criminal justice, civil remedies, public policy issues, and program management.

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Seniors

Elderhostel.org

Elderhostel is an organization, which supports lifelong learning opportunities for seniors. This site describes educational and travels programs for seniors at home and abroad. This excellent site is for the adventurous senior wanting to learn and travel.

ElderWeb.com

This is a research site for professionals and family members. It includes articles about all issues affecting eldercare. Issues such as legal, financial, regional information, long-term care providers, and prescription drugs. This is a good site for seniors, their family's, and professionals to find information on concerns for the elderly.

Senior Sites.com

Senior Sites.com is a comprehensive searchable web database of nonprofit housing and services for seniors. Seniors and their families looking for housing communities and services for the elderly best use this site.

SeniorNet

SeniorNet is a nonprofit organization that provides seniors age 50+ access to and education about computer technology and the Internet to enhance their lives and pursuit of lifelong learning.

last updated: 6/21/00