Primary source material is contemporary with the period or thing studied. A primary source will be an original document, source, or text rather than one of criticism, discussion, or summary (known as a secondary source). You can find primary sources in contemporary newspapers and magazines, archival collections, and primary source readers, among other places.
This site takes a novel and sophisticated approach to the presentation of primary-source ephemera. Unlike other history websites, Digital Harlem: Everyday Life, 1915-1930 does not merely reproduce digitized copies of primary documents. Instead its usefulness derives from the integration of historical fragments that can be combined and recombined into maps that show aspects of daily life that are otherwise easy to overlook and difficult to characterize in narrative form. This site, which continues to be updated regularly, will contribute to new historical interpretations and ways of understanding the Harlem Renaissance. Digital Harlem is the 2011 winner of the RUSA ABC-CLIO History Award.
No search for primary-source materials is complete without a visit to American Memory, Library of Congress. This vast collection can be keyword searched or browsed by topic, time period, or media types that include manuscripts, maps, motion pictures, photos, video recordings, and more.
Highly Recommended
NARA offers one of the richest repositories for U.S. history, but only a relatively small portion of the collection is available online. Begin on NARA's Research page, which includes access to:
National Archives Experience: Digital Vaults contains 1,200 documents, photographs, drawings, maps, and other materials drawn from the vast holdings of the National Archives and covering all periods of U.S. history to about 2004.
The Archival Facility for NARA's Mid-Atlantic Region is located in Center City Philadelphia.
"Making of America (MOA) is a digital library of primary sources in American social history primarily from the antebellum period through reconstruction. The collection is particularly strong in the subject areas of education, psychology, American history, sociology, religion, and science and technology" (University of Michigan).
Making of America Journals - Over 50,000 journal articles currently available.
"Documenting the American South (DocSouth) is a digital publishing initiative that provides Internet access to texts, images, and audio files related to southern history, literature, and culture. Currently DocSouth includes ten thematic collections of books, diaries, posters, artifacts, letters, oral history interviews, and songs" (University of North Carolina).
"In 1965, Robert Penn Warren wrote a book, now out of print, entitled Who Speaks for the Negro? To research this publication, he traveled the country and spoke with a variety of people who were involved in the Civil Rights Movement. He spoke with nationally-known figures as well as people working in the trenches of the Movement. The volume contains many of the transcripts from these conversations. The Who Speaks for the Negro? Archive [from Vanderbilt University Libraries] contains digitized versions of the original reel-to-reel recordings, as well as copies of the correspondence, transcripts, and other printed materials related to his research for the provocatively-titled book."
All information on this page is adapted from the research guide in history by David C. Murray. Thank you, David!
The following databases provide electronic reproductions of full-text primary-source books.
The following databases -- many Temple-only, a few open-access -- index and in most cases provide electronic reproductions of full-text, primary source magazines, journals, and newspapers.
African American Newspapers: The 19th Century contains information about the cultural life and history during the 1800s, with reports on events , including the Mexican War, Presidential and congressional addresses. Starting with the Freedom`s Journal in 1827 and continuing in chronological order with the addition of new text each year (downloaded monthly), this database will contain the complete text of the major African-American newspapers published in the United States during the 19th century.
C19 covers documents published between 1790 and 1919. It contains the following collections: Nineteenth Century Short Title, Catalogue, Nineteenth Century microfiche project, American Periodicals Series (Full-Text),-British Periodicals Series, Periodicals Index, Poole's Index to Periodical Literature, Wellesley Index to Victorian Periodicals , House of Commons Parliamentary Papers (Full-Text), Archives USA , and Palmer's Index to the Times.
Gale NewsVault allows users to cross-search all Gale newspaper archives using a single interface.
Incorporates the New York Times Index
Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature Retrospective provides bibliographic information for articles from periodicals in the popular press from 1890 to 1982.
Vogue Archive (1892 - present) is a complete searchable archive of American Vogue, from the first issue in 1892 to the current month, reproduced in high-resolution color page images. Every page, advertisement, cover and fold-out has been included, with rich indexing enabling you to find images by garment type, designer and brand names.
The following databases -- most Temple-only, one open-access -- provide electronic reproductions of full-text primary-source documents including maps, letters, diaries, oral histories, memoirs and other personal narratives. Many of these databases are relevant to the history of other parts of the world such as Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean.
Concurrent user limit: 20
CQ Researcher provides reports written by journalists, footnoted and fact-checked. Full-length articles include an overview, historical background, chronology, pro/con feature, plus resources for additional research. Graphics, photos and short "sidebar" features round out the reports.
African American Newspapers: The 19th Century contains information about the cultural life and history during the 1800s, with reports on events , including the Mexican War, Presidential and congressional addresses. Starting with the Freedom`s Journal in 1827 and continuing in chronological order with the addition of new text each year (downloaded monthly), this database will contain the complete text of the major African-American newspapers published in the United States during the 19th century.
Access is guaranteed through May 2027
Legacy History Vault platform
ProQuest History Vault includes several subject modules: Civil Rights and the Black Freedom Struggle; Southern Life, Slavery, and the Civil War; Women's Studies; Workers, Labor Unions, and Radicals; American Indians and the American West; American Politics and Society (from Kennedy to Watergate); International Relations and Military Conflicts; Latinx History; Revolutionary War and Early America.
These databases provide electronic reproductions of full-text primary-source documents that originated from the governments of the United Kingdom and other European countries.
Find visual materials such as drawings and paintings, still photographs and videos.
Note: ArtStor is now part of JSTOR. ArtStor users can still use their existing account on the JSTOR platform.
ARTstor contains images of art, architecture and archeology from a range of cultures and time periods, in European, American and Asian cultures.
