Primary sources are the evidence of history, original records or objects created by participants or observers at the time historical events occurred or even well after events, as in memoirs and oral histories. Primary sources may include but are not limited to: letters, manuscripts, diaries, journals, newspapers, maps, speeches, interviews, documents produced by government agencies, photographs, audio or video recordings, born-digital items (e.g. emails), research data, and objects or artifacts (such as works of art or ancient roads, buildings, tools, and weapons). These sources serve as the raw materials historians use to interpret and analyze the past. (ALA.org)
One of the best ways to find primary sources is via secondary sources (books and articles). Primary sources, or excerpts from primary sources, may be reprinted and/or cited in secondary sources such as books and journal articles. This is an excellent way to determine which primary sources will be most relevant for the research topic you are studying.
Encyclopedias and other reference works (tertiary sources) are especially helpful for finding primary source documents in history. So even as you are just starting your research, pay close attention to any primary source material that is being cited.
Another way to find possible primary sources is via Sourcebooks. Hint: use the keyword "sources" or "sourcebook" when using OneSearch.
There are also many digitized primary source collections online, in addition to the library databases listed below.
America’s Historical Newspapers offers thousands of rare American newspapers from 1690 to the early 20th century. This digital resource provides primary sources on the people, places, and events that shaped the nation, including eyewitness reports and editorials. Key collections include Early American Newspapers (1690-1922) and specialized series like African American Newspapers (1827-1998) and Hispanic American Newspapers (1808-1980).
The Baltimore African-American was the most widely circulated black newspaper on the Atlantic coast. It was the first black newspaper to have correspondents reporting on World War II, foreign correspondents, and female sports correspondents. The paper's contributors have included writer Langston Hughes, intellectual J. Saunders Redding, artist Romare Bearden, and sports editor Sam Lacy, whose column influenced the desegregation of professional sports.
Brooklyn Newsstand is a digital collection of 44 Brooklyn newspapers from various neighborhoods, spanning over 2.4 million pages and covering local politics, businesses, education, events, sports, entertainment, and community happenings, as well as some international news. The collection offers a diverse range of perspectives and coverage scopes across its titles.
This database offers direct access to Harper's Weekly, America's leading 19th-century illustrated newspaper, covering 1857-1912. It provides a comprehensive week-to-week record of global events from the Civil War to the end of the Gilded Age. Users can browse by volume/issue, search full-text using a thesaurus, and utilize indexed finding aids.
Temporarily unavailable The Nation Archive provides researchers with 150 years of alternative journalism, including articles, editorials, letters, reviews, and more, searchable from the magazine's inception in July 1865.
Temporarily unavailable The New Republic Archive contains more than 4,550 issues, with coverage dating back to 1914, presenting insights from a variety of viewpoints on topics such as politics, foreign policy, culture, current events and the arts.
This historical newspaper provides genealogists, researchers and scholars with online, easily-searchable first-hand accounts and unparalleled coverage of the politics, society and events of the time.
This link opens in a new windowGet the scoop with an innovative Web-based, full-text ASCII-formatted newspaper database that lets you electronically search articles by title, headline, date, author, section or other assigned fields. Search this database of ten major newspapers published in the state of New York, including the New York Times.
This link opens in a new windowThe New York Times Historical Edition offers full page and article images with searchable full text back to the first issue in 1865. The collection includes digital reproductions providing access to every page from every available issue.
This historical newspaper provides genealogists, researchers and scholars with online, easily-searchable first-hand accounts and unparalleled coverage of the politics, society and events of the time.
This link opens in a new windowRepresents over two centuries of print culture from early colonial imports to titles published on American soil during the Revolution and early republic (1691-1820).
The digital Archive of Americana offers comprehensive historical collections, including hundreds of historic newspapers, executive documents, and U.S. Senate and House journals. Key resources include America's Historical Newspapers, American State Papers (1789-1838), and the U.S. Congressional Serial Set.
This link opens in a new windowSearch all available Gale Primary Source Databases at once.
This link opens in a new windowEighteenth Century Collections Online (ECCO) offers a vast digital library with 180,000+ titles and 32 million searchable pages from 1701-1800. It encompasses a wide range of subjects and materials from Britain, Ireland, and British territories, including government documents, diverse genres, and writings across social classes, providing insights into eighteenth-century life and events.
This link opens in a new windowNineteenth Century Collections Online is a global digitization program focusing on primary sources from the long nineteenth century, including monographs, newspapers, pamphlets, manuscripts, maps, photographs, and more in diverse languages.
This link opens in a new windowSlavery and Anti-Slavery: A Transnational Archive is a comprehensive collection spanning over five million cross-searchable pages from the 17th to 19th centuries, covering the history of slavery, the slave trade, abolitionism, and emancipation across America, Africa, Europe, and the Caribbean. Sourced from over 60 libraries worldwide, it provides unparalleled depth through books, periodicals, legal documents, manuscripts, and more.
The U.S. Congressional Serial Set offers access to over 50,000 maps, from comprehensive atlases to specific land maps, including historical and weather maps, covering pre-1800 to 1999. Users can search and browse by location, subject, name, issuing body, and date, with international locations included.
The U.S. Congressional Serial Set, 1817-1980, includes House and Senate documents and reports on U.S. history, international relations, explorations, genealogy, commerce, and more. Covering the 15th to the 103rd Congresses (1817-1994), it also features key Executive Department publications. Users can search and browse by subject, geographic names, personal names, and an A-Z index for legislative and historical research.
