Description
The Australian Dictionary of Biography is Australia’s pre-eminent dictionary of national biography. In it you will find concise, informative and fascinating descriptions of the lives of over 13,000 significant and representative persons in Australian history. The subjects come from all walks of life — from prime ministers, governors-general and premiers, generals and bishops, artists, actors and authors, engineers and schoolteachers, to prostitutes, thieves and murderers — providing a cross-section of Australian society (Australian Dictionary of Biography | About)
What is a dictionary of national biography?
A dictionary of national biography is a collection of interpretative biographical articles on people selected for their significance in a nation’s history. Most developed countries produce these works which focus on men and women who were involved in great events, or were leaders who influenced the material and cultural developments that have given each society its present-day character. The dictionaries are vast storehouses of knowledge and information about the past, important resources for historical research, and literary memorials to the people whose lives they chronicle and evaluate.
who publishs the Encyclopedia?
The ADB is produced by the National Centre of Biography at the Australian National University (ANU) and is available both as a hardcopy publication and online. (Australian Dictionary of Biography | About)
What period does the Dictionary cover?
Entries are added to the ADB in chronological order of death. Entries added to date cover the period from the first European exploration of Australia through to those who died in 1990. Entries are currently being selected for people who died in 1991-2000. (Australian Dictionary of Biography | About)
New projects to update entry policy for the Australian Dictionary of biography
New projects to rectify the underrepresentation of Aboriginal and female biographies in the Australian Dictionary of Biography.
In this 55 minute video, Dr Shino Konishi discusses the work being carried out to update existing and include more Indigenous biographies as a new project for the The Australian Dictionary of Biography.