Search Strategies for Primary Sources
Primary source research requires a slightly different approach to searching. Here are a few tips/strategies:
Start by doing some background reading or "pre-research": The more you know about key events, people, laws, and especially common terminology used during the time period you are researching the more successful your research will be. See the "Getting to Know Your Topic" page in this guide for help.
Limit to specific time periods: When searching for primary sources online always remember to use date ranges (usually on the advanced search page) to focus your search.
- Depending on the time period, remember that it took time for news to get reported or to spread to other parts of the country. It often helps to include a few weeks after an event to ensure you get results.
- Start with broader search times but limit to a narrow time period. For example: if searching for articles about the Massacre at Wounded Knee, search for: "wounded knee" limit to the date range of 12/29/1890-1/12/1891 (the word massacre may not have been used immediately after the event, but the location)
Use primary source keywords to find primary sources: Use search terms that reflect the types of primary sources you’re looking for, such as: diaries, pamphlets, correspondence, speeches, manuscripts, personal narratives, interviews, firsthand, eyewitness, sources, etc.
For example: slave AND diary | suffrage AND pamphlets | united states and race relations AND sources
Books/Anthologies of Primary Sources
The 1960s : a documentary reader by
Drawn from a wide range of perspectives and showcasing a variety of primary source materials, Brian Ward's The 1960s: A Documentary Reader highlights the most important themes of the era. Supplies students with over 50 primary documents on the turbulent period of the 1960s in the United States Includes speeches, court decisions, acts of Congress, secret memos, song lyrics, cartoons, photographs, news reports, advertisements, and first-hand testimony A comprehensive introduction, document headnotes, and questions at the end of each chapter are designed to encourage students to engage with the material critically
Call Number: E838.3 .A155 2010ISBN: 9781405163293Publication Date: 2009-11-02
American Prison by
After his 2014 expose about his experiences as a prison guard in a Lousisiana for-profit prison, Shane Bauer soon realised the cruelty of the current American system and its place in the larger story of mass incarceration cannot be understood without first understanding its origins. In American Prison, Bauer weaves together a deeper reckoning of his prison guard experience with a thorough history of for-profit prisons in America. A blistering accusation of the private prison system in the United States, American Prison is a necessary human document about the true face of justice in the USA.
Call Number: HV9471 .B384 2018ISBN: 9780735223585Publication Date: 2018-09-18
At Home in Nineteenth-Century America by
Few institutions were as central to nineteenth-century American culture as the home. Emerging in the 1820s as a sentimental space apart from the public world of commerce and politics, the Victorian home transcended its initial association with the private lives of the white, native-born bourgeoisie to cross lines of race, ethnicity, class, and region. Throughout the nineteenth century, home was celebrated as a moral force, domesticity moved freely into the worlds of politics and reform, and home and marketplace repeatedly remade each other. At Home in Nineteenth-Century America draws upon advice manuals, architectural designs, personal accounts, popular fiction, advertising images, and reform literature to revisit the variety of places Americans called home. Entering into middle-class suburban houses, slave cabins, working-class tenements, frontier dugouts, urban settlement houses, it explores the shifting interpretations and experiences of these spaces from within and without. Nineteenth-century homes and notions of domesticity seem simultaneously distant and familiar. This sense of surprise and recognition is ideal for the study of history, preparing us to view the past with curiosity and empathy, inspiring comparisons to the spaces we inhabit today--malls, movie theaters, city streets, and college campuses. Permitting us to listen closely to the nineteenth century's sweeping conversation about home in its various guises, At Home in Nineteenth-Century America encourages us to hear our contemporary conversation about the significance and meaning of home anew while appreciating the lingering imprint of past ideals. Instructor's Guide
Call Number: E161 .A8 2015ISBN: 9780814769133Publication Date: 2015-01-23
The Eyes on the Prize Civil Rights Reader by
The most comprehensive anthology of primary sources available, spanning the entire history of the American civil rights movement. A record of one of the greatest and most turbulent movements of this century, The Eyes on the Prize Civil Rights Readeris essential for anyone interested in learning how far the American civil rights movements has come and how far it has to go. Included are the Supreme Court's Brown vs Board of Educationdecision in its entirety; speeches by Martin Luther King, Jr., and his famous "Letter from Birmingham City Jail"; an interview with Rosa Parks; selections from Malcolm X Speaks; Black Panther Bobby Seale's Seize the Time; Ralph Abernathy's controversial And the Walls Came Tumbling Down; a piece by Herman Badillo on the infamous Attica prison uprising; addresses by Harold Washington, Jesse Jackson, Nelson Mandel, and much more. "An important volume for students and professionals who wish to grasp the basic nature of the civil rights movement and how it changed America in fundamental ways." -Aldon Morris, Northwestern University
Call Number: E185.615 .E95 1991ISBN: 9780140154030Publication Date: 1991-11-01
The Feminist Papers by
"Here are, as Alice Rossi claims in her well-written preface, 'the essential works of feminism, ' published over a period of 200 years. Her introductions to each section are informative and written with nonpolemical grace." -- Doris Grumbach, New Republic
Call Number: HQ1154 .R746ISBN: 9780231037952Publication Date: 1973-10-01
The School in the United States by
The School in the United States collects a wide range of essential primary documents of the history of education in the United States, from colonial America to present-day reform efforts. Expertly chosen by historian and education scholar James Fraser, these documents incorporate many different sources, from first-person accounts to textbook excerpts and presidential speeches. As Fraser demonstrates, the history of American education is also a history of national debates and decisions about schooling, and he places the prominent voices of these debates in conversation through carefully curated selections, including the work of famous thinkers like Thomas Jefferson and W. E. B. DuBois, as well as that of ordinary classroom teachers. Organized by era, each chapter begins with a brief introduction intended to spark student interest, while a detailed bibliography suggests opportunities for further research. In addition, the fourth edition also offers an alternative structure that allows easy use of the book by topic as an alternative to chronology. Comprehensive enough to be used as a main text, but selective enough to be used alongside another, The School in the United States makes accessible key readings in the history of American education in a format that encourages students to make their own evaluations as they engage with major historical debates. Updates to this fourth edition include: New documents throughout including additional teacher voices and a focus on technology. The last two chapters have been extensively revised to include material on school shootings, debates about charter schools, teacher strikes, and the purposes of public education in the United States. A number of older documents have been shortened to point students more clearly to the most important ideas of a document. Overall the fourth edition is shorter than previous editions. Online resources that include a full Instructor's Manual and sample syllabi. he fourth edition also offers an alternative structure that allows easy use of the book by topic as an alternative to chronology. Comprehensive enough to be used as a main text, but selective enough to be used alongside another, The School in the United States makes accessible key readings in the history of American education in a format that encourages students to make their own evaluations as they engage with major historical debates. Updates to this fourth edition include: New documents throughout including additional teacher voices and a focus on technology. The last two chapters have been extensively revised to include material on school shootings, debates about charter schools, teacher strikes, and the purposes of public education in the United States. A number of older documents have been shortened to point students more clearly to the most important ideas of a document. Overall the fourth edition is shorter than previous editions. Online resources that include a full Instructor's Manual and sample syllabi. th edition is shorter than previous editions. Online resources that include a full Instructor's Manual and sample syllabi.
Call Number: LA205 .S34 2019ISBN: 9781138478879Publication Date: 2019-04-01
Voices of Freedom by
Based on the archives used in the prize-winning PBS television series, this unique companion to Eyes on the Prize II is the only oral history of America's civil rights movement from 1954 to the present. The new series will air early this year.
Call Number: E185.61 .H224 1990ISBN: 0553057340Publication Date: 1990-01-01
Water Rights and the Environment in the United States by
This sweeping study traces the development of water policy in the United States from the 19th century to the present day, exploring the role of legislation in appropriating access to water to the American people. Three factors influence the development of water policy and politics in the United States: the availability of water, the manner in which people use the commodity to its maximum economic benefit, and governmental control. This book is a one-stop resource for understanding the scope of water issues in America, from governing doctrine and legislation, to Native American water rights, to water protection and pollution, and to the mitigation of natural and manmade disasters. Distinguished author and noted scholar John R. Burch Jr. reviews the conflicts among state, federal, and international agencies in dealing with water supply and points to competing legal rulings and laws as undermining the creation of a cohesive policy for all. Through an analysis of key documents, Burch examines the recent calamities befalling the American water system--including droughts, oil spills, and natural disasters--and considers the future of water distribution to the American people. Organized into six parts, sections include doctrines and rights, waters of the West, border regions water management and flood control, environmental issues, and water supply and safety.
Call Number: KF5569 .B87 2015ISBN: 9781440838026Publication Date: 2015-07-20
What is a Primary Source?
Primary sources are items that are directly associated with their producer or user and the period in which they are created. They reflect the authority and perspective of someone who directly experiences what they are detailing.
Primary sources can be found in:
- Collections housed in libraries or archives
- Digital format through online databases
- Freely available collections on the Internet
- Published in books and microforms
Evaluating a Primary Source
The Library of Congress has a great tool for helping you evaluate potential primary sources:
Library Databases
- History Commons
The Accessible Archives collection within History Commons includes text primary sources from 18th and 19th century America, mainly newspapers, including the Pennsylvania Gazette, the Virginia Gazette, Godey's Lady's Book, Frederick Douglass Paper, a collection of South Carolina Newspapers, and a collection of African American newspapers
- African American Newspapers (1827-1998)
The full text of hundreds of U.S. newspapers from more than 35 states published by African Americans, dating from 1827 to 1998.
- African American Women Writers of the 19th Century
The full text of 52 books and pamphlets published by 19th-century black women writers.
- American Antiquarian Society PeriodicalsFull-text collections of thousands of historical American periodicals, provided by the American Antiquarian Society and published between 1691 and 1912. The collection is fully searchable via a number of filters, and offers multiple navigation options.
- American Periodicals Series OnlineThe full text of hundreds of American magazines, journals, and newspapers published between 1741 and 1900.
- American Prison Newspapers, 1800-2020: Voices from the InsideA full text archive of hundreds of newspapers published in U.S. prisons since 1800.
- Arte Público Hispanic Historical Collection, Series 2
This database presents an archive of publications focused on U.S. Hispanic history, literature and culture from colonial times until 1960. Series 2 focuses on Hispanic American civil rights, religion and women’s rights from the 18th through the 20th century. Content is written, indexed and searchable in Spanish and English.
- Chronicling America: Historic American NewspapersSearch and view the full text of hundreds of digitized historical newspapers from 42 states, with titles dating from 1789-1963, provided free by the Library of Congress.
- Cincinnati Enquirer (1872-1922)Full text for several newspaper titles published in Cincinnati between 1872 and 1922.
- Civil Rights and Social JusticeFull text for an array of documents on civil rights in the United States, including legislative histories, congressional hearings, government reports, Supreme Court briefs, and publications from the United States Commission on Civil Rights.
- Cleveland News IndexCitations to articles from the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Cleveland Magazine, Northern Ohio Live, and Ohio Magazine provided by Cleveland Public Library.
- Detroit Free Press (1831-1922)Full text for several newspaper titles published in Detroit between 1831 and 1922.
- Great Lakes Maritime Personnel Index
Searchable database of membership lists and directories of Great Lakes maritime personnel active from the late 19th to the mid 20th century. Created by the BGSU Libraries' Center for Archival Collections, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes.
- Great Lakes Ports Index
Hundreds of historical photographs of Ohio ports located on Lake Erie, combined with a searchable database of descriptive information. Created by the BGSU Libraries' Center for Archival Collections, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes.
- Great Lakes Vessels Online Index
Thousands of images of Great Lakes vessels combined with data sheets about each vessel created over the past thirty years. The database was created by the BGSU Libraries' Center for Archival Collections, Historical Collections of the Great Lakes.
- Harpweek
The electronic version of of the popular magazine Harper's Weekly from the Civil War and Reconstruction eras, 1857-1871.
- NewspaperArchive.comSearchable full text for hundreds of historical newspapers published in Ohio between 1800-2010. Search or browse 19th and 20th century Ohio newspapers and view full-page pdf images.
- New York Times HistoricalThe entire contents of the New York Times from 1851 to three years ago.
- Popular Culture in Britain and America, 1950-1975A database of photographs, images, manuscripts, rare printed material documenting the music, politics, fashion and youth culture in America and Great Britain from 1950-1975.
- Sanborn Digital MapsLarge scale street plans of Ohio cities produced by the Sanborn Fire Insurance company from 1867 to 1970.
- Slavery in America and the World: History, Culture & LawA database containing a wide range of primary materials on the subject of slavery worldwide, including judicial cases, slavery statutes, UNC Press titles, periodicals, and scholarly articles. It includes every statute passed by every U.S. colony and state on slavery, every federal statute dealing with slavery, and all reported state and federal cases on slavery.
- Student ActivismPrimary sources documenting the history of student organizing in the United States, including hundreds of items contributed by BGSU, in formats such as leaflets, fliers, newsletters, campaign materials, protest literature, clippings, periodicals, bulletins, letters, press releases, as well as meeting, demonstration, conference, and event documentation.
Topics include: Anti-apartheid divestiture, student involvement in the civil rights movement, Indians of All Tribes’ occupation of Alcatraz, Take-Back-the-Night anti-sexual assault activism, Vietnam War opposition and demilitarization activism, Women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and more. - Vogue ArchiveA complete, searchable archive of American Vogue, from the first issue in 1892 to the current month. Includes every article, cover, photo shoot, illustration and advertisement, with rich indexing enabling users to find images by designer and brand names.
- WCDPL Digital Newspaper ArchivesThis platform covers Bowling Green area newspapers from 1867 to 1958 with complete coverage of the Bradner Advocate and the Risingsun Unique Weekly. To view the complete newspaper collection on microfilm, visit the Local History Collection at the Wood County District Public Library in person.
Digital Collections Outside BGSU
- Digital Public Library of AmericaThe DPLA provides a platform for libraries and cultural institutions from around the country to contribute digital content and exhibits.
- Ellis Island: American Family Immigration History CenterSearch an extraordinary collection of arrival records.
- Library of Congress Digital CollectionsThe Library of Congress is a research library in Washington, D.C., that serves as the library of the U.S. Congress and the de facto national library of the United States.
- National Archives (US) List of Digital ResourcesBroken down into the following categories: State Archives and Collaboratives, Virtual Collections, Documentary Editions and Digitized Collections, Digital Editions available from University of Virginia Press /Rotunda.