Despite its northern city of origin, the Defender was one of the preeminent African-American newspapers of its day with detailed coverage of the Deep South.
Ignore its problematic title; this is a good source of articles from newspapers and other publications from the "ethnic and minority press" in the United States.
A good introductory source of reference books, historical encyclopedias, and history periodicals. More broad than America: History and Life and also includes some primary sources.
While our coverage ends in 2014, the Times remains a great source for goings-on starting in 1851. Includes reviews and weekly news magazines from the Times as well.
Don't look for this archive to contain anything after 9/11, but it's a great source for mid-century content and a good counterpart to the Times and the Defender.