Library Catalog Search (Primo)
Use the library search tool Primo to find books that contain primary source material. A search that combines your topic's keyword with subjects that pertain to primary sources can be an effective search strategy.
For example:
Subjects pertaining to primary sources: Sources, Diaries, Archives, Narratives, Interviews, Quotations, Correspondence, Pamphlets, Speeches, Statues
Combine topic keyword with subject : "slavery" + "interviews", "women's suffrage" + "pamphlets", "Nero" + "statue", "American revolution" + "speeches"
Library Databases
- American History Online This link opens in a new window
This link opens in a new window
Select 'Sources' from the database main menu to access primary sources. - Black Freedom This link opens in a new windowThis resource is focused on Black Freedom, featuring select primary source documents related to critical people and events in African American history.
- Gale Literature This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
Select the advanced search to limit by content type to primary sources. - History Research Center This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
This link opens in a new window
The History Research Center includes articles, media, and primary sources on American History, Ancient and Medieval History, and Modern World History. - JSTOR This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
Essential scholarly journals in many academic fields, especially arts, literature, humanities, and basic science. - Milestone Documents in African American History This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
Important primary source documents in African American history. Includes an analysis of the full text documents. If you experience any accessibility problems with this resource including color contrast, alt-text, or keyboard navigation please contact a librarian for assistance. - Milestone Documents in World History This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
Primary source documents in world history. Includes an analysis of all full text documents. If you experience any accessibility problems with this resource including color contrast, alt-text, or keyboard navigation please contact a librarian for assistance. - Women and Social Movements in the United States, 1600-2000 This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
This database is intended to serve as a resource for students and scholars of U.S. history and U.S. women's history. It offers access to the history of women in social movements in the U.S. between 1600 and 2000. Included are teaching tools and questions based on the document projects.
Internet Sources
- American MemoryThe Library of Congress's National Digital Library contains more than 40 collections, which feature historical photos, maps, documents, letters, speeches, recordings, videos, prints, and more.
- The Avalon ProjectA collection of documents in law, history, and diplomacy from Yale's Lillian Goldman Law Library. Documents from 4000BCE-present.
- Chronicling America: Historic NewspapersThe Library of Congress's Historic American Newspapers collection contains pages from 1789-1927.
- Digital Public Library of AmericaPrimary source sets from the DPLA. US focused but includes sources from around the globe.
- Documenting the American SouthThis electronic text archive from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill contains primary source slavery narratives and first-person narratives of the South as well as a digitized library of southern literature.
- Euro DocsA collection of open access primary historical documents from Brigham Young University Library.
- European History Primary SourcesEHPS contains the major national digital libraries and many smaller series of e-sources and smaller digitization projects in Europe.
- The Internet Modern History SourcebookThe internet History Sourcebooks Project is a collection of public domain and copy-permitted historical texts spanning the globe. The Modern History section contains texts focused on US history.
- The LabyrinthThis collection of medieval resources includes an electronic library of poetry and prose in medieval languages, on-line bibliographies, professional directories and news about medieval studies, links to related teaching resources, and information on medieval cultures.
- The Library of CongressLegislative information, historical exhibits, primary source materials, resources for educators, research tools, and more are available from the Library of Congress.
- National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)NARA preserves historically valuable archives of the U.S. government, including documents, photographs, images, maps, audio clips, letters, speeches, and films. Check out the Exhibit Hall for fascinating primary sources on such topics as the Lincoln assassination and World War II propaganda posters.
- Smithsonian InstitutionThe Smithsonian Institution offers access to primary sources and other resources on a wide variety of topics, including military and political history.
- Triangle Shirtwaist FireThis site includes original sources on the fire held at the ILR School's Kheel Center, an archive of historical material on labor and industrial relations.
- Vincent Voice LibraryA collection of over 100,000 hours of spoken word recordings, dating back to 1888. The collection includes the voices of over 500,000 persons from all walks of life.
- World Digital LibraryThe World Digital Library is a project of the Library of Congress, UNESCO, and libraries around the world. Many historical documents with explanations of their significance can be found.
