History: Primary Sources by Era or Topic

1690-1923
Historical newspapers from every state in the U.S.

1732-1950
National and regional British newspapers representing different political and cultural views.

1909-2010
African American newspaper from Chicago, Illinois.

1849-2014
Major daily newspaper from Chicago.

Good for: Researching historical events through American newspapers, including Nevada newspapers.

Contains: Historical newspapers. 

Dates covered: 1789-1963.

1881-2015
Historical California newspaper.

1851-2020
Historical New York newspaper.

1785-2019
The Times (London) newspaper.

1877-2007
Daily newspaper from Washington, DC. 

1681-1920
Popular British periodicals mostly from the 19th century.

1843-2015
Issues of The Economist, a news magazine with a global scope published in London.

1903-1995. Film industry and fan publications.

1902-2013
London Times Literary Supplement publishes essays, letters, poems and articles.

Good for: Researching fashion and culture, including specific garments, accessories or brands.

Contains: Images and text from Vogue Magazine. 

Dates covered: 1892-present.

Good for:  Exploring social justice, civil rights, and decolonization movements in Africa and for understanding the American Committee on Africa's (ACOA) efforts to inform the public and promote solidarity with African liberation movements

Contains: Records of the American Committee on Africa (ACOA) which chart the organization's involvement in African liberation struggles in the twentieth century

Dates covered: 1953-1981

1850-1990s
Search three archival collections representing 20th century advertising and marketing from Adam Matthew Publishers.

1493-1945
Primary sources from the Gilder Lehrman collection about American history from the earliest settlers to the mid-twentieth century.

1830-1939
Pamphlets, maps, books, ephemeral material and rare printed sources related to the history of the American West.

1948-1980
British government files from the Foreign, Colonial, Dominion and Foreign and Commonwealth Offices documenting the history of South Africa's apartheid regime.

1940-present
Primary sources from more than 35 countries related to LGBTQ activism and the HIV/AIDS crisis.

Good for: Studying the history of Persia (Iran), Central Asia, and Afghanistan.

Contains: Correspondence, intelligence reports, diaries, minutes, maps, newspaper excerpts, and other primary sources from British Foreign Office Files.

Dates covered: 1834-1922.

Good for: Researching international affairs from a British perspective.

Contains: Commentary, speeches, and analysis from a nonprofit NGO.

Dates covered: 1920-2008.

Good for: Exploring the socio-cultural history of the United States in the 19th century through children's literature.

Contains: Rare books, games, ephemera, and artwork.

Dates covered: 1790s-1930s.

Good for: Studying China's relations with the West in the 19th and early 20th century. 

Contains: Academic and literary journals and missionary periodicals in English about China. 

Dates covered: 1817-1949.

Good for: Researching China and its relations with the West during the late Qing and Republican periods. 

Contains: Official correspondence, dispatches, reports, memoranda, and records of the Maritime Customs Service of China. 

Dates covered: 1858-1949.

Good for: Exploring Chinese life and culture over the past 300 years. 

Contains: Primary source documents like printed books, pamphlets, paintings, manuscripts, diaries, newspapers, and periodicals. 

Dates covered: 1750-1980.

Good for: Researching the life and career of Winston Churchill, British Prime Minister during and after World War II. 

Contains: Primary sources including personal papers and official records. 

Dates covered: 1690-1965 (mainly 1940-1955).

Good for: Understanding the perspective of Anglican missionary administrators and workers on cultural encounters around the world. 

Contains: Newspapers, journals, and reports. 

Dates covered: 1804-2009.

Good for: Primary sources from the civil rights movement in the United States. 

Contains: Official publications and primary source material including records of the NAACP, papers from presidential administrations, and relevant records from the FBI and other federal agencies. 

Dates covered: 1901-2000.

Good for: Primary sources documenting European colonization of the African continent from the British government’s perspective.

Contains: Government records from the British Colonial Office and Foreign Office.

Dates covered: 1834-1966.

Good for: Primary sources recording the British perspective on Central and South America and the French- and Spanish-speaking Caribbean.

Contains: Government and agency records.

Dates covered: 1833-1969.

Good for: Primary sources about British involvement in the Levant, the Arabian peninsula, Iran, Turkey, Egypt and Sudan.

Contains: Government and agency records.

Dates covered: 1839-1969.

Good for: Primary sources generated by the British Foreign and Colonial Offices about events in the United States, Canada, and the English-speaking Caribbean.

Contains: Government and agency records.

Dates covered: 1824-1961.

Good for: Evidence of changing views about gender, themed around conduct, domesticity, consumption and leisure, education, and the body.

Contains: Primary sources like correspondence, advice literature, periodicals, ephemera and government documents.

Dates covered: 1500s-1920.

Good for: Learning the history of disability rights and disability studies around the world.

Contains: Primary and secondary sources, including videos, diaries, brochures, advertisements, and more.

Good for: Researching British trade and colonial rule in the Indian subcontinent.

Contains: British government records from the India Office.

Dates covered: 1599-1947.

Good for: Exploring colonial history, politics, culture and society from British and European perspectives.

Contains: Primary sources from archival collections.

Dates covered: 1492-1969.

Good for: Studying American social, cultural, and popular history in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Contains: Primary sources like periodicals, pamphlets and books.

Dates covered: 1800-1920.

1919-1980
British Foreign Office files dealing with China, Hong Kong and Taiwan between 1919 and 1980.

1947-1980
Archival collection from the British Foreign Office focused on the political and social history of India, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

1919-1952
Archival collection from the British Foreign Office focused on Japan: sections on Japanese Imperialism and the War in the Pacific, 1931-1945; Occupation of Japan, 1946-1952; and Japan and Great Power Status, 1919-1930.

1963-1980
Correspondence, reports, maps and other primary source evidence of British Foreign Office involvement in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines.

1971-1981
Archival collection from the British Foreign Office focused on the Middle East in the 1970s.

1400-1950s
Primary sources for American Indian history in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Manuscripts, artwork and rare printed books from pre-contact through the mid-20th century.

1880s-1990s
The J. Walter Thompson Company advertising agency archives include brand case studies and account files about campaigns for Kellogg’s, Kodak, Kraft, Oscar Mayer, Pan Am, the US Marine Corps, and more.

1957-1963
Archival collection from the British National Archives focused on Harold Macmillan’s government and selected policy committees.

1935-1965
Market research reports and supporting documents regarding the American consumer boom of the mid-20th century from the archives of Ernest Dichter and the Institute for Motivational Research.

1913-1965
Selected sets of documents from the archives of the NAACP.

Good for: Finding primary sources about the development of urban centers and of the restructuring of society that took place during the Industrial Revolution in Great Britain.

Contains: Government and archival collections 

Dates covered: 1750-1916 

Good for: Finding primary source documentation related to the European “Scramble for Africa,” colonial conquest and the legacy of slavery, missionaries, explorers, economics, world politics, and international strategy.

Contains: Books, manuscripts, government records and newspaper accounts

Dates covered: 1800-1906
 

1969-1974
Archival collection from the British Foreign Office focused on the Nixon presidency and impeachment (FCO 7 and FCO 82).

1784-2006
Biographies, oral histories, personal papers, images and audio files documenting the history of American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Canadian First Peoples with representation of historical events as told by the individuals who lived through them.

1950-1975
Primary sources documenting music and popular culture in the US and Britain, 1950-1975, including manuscripts, video, photos, underground magazines and more.

1945-1950
Records from the National Archives of the UK reveal challenges facing Displaced Persons, refugees and humanitarian aid organizations in the aftermath of World War II.

1490-2007
Case studies documenting slavery in America, the Caribbean, Brazil and Cuba, along with material examining European, Islamic and African involvement in the slave trade.

1850-1950
Primary sources like catalogs, price lists, and brochures reflecting the history of consumer advertising and marketing and life and leisure in America. Includes department store catalogs, cosmetic advertisements, real estate brochures and much more.

Good for: Finding primary sources related to popular entertainment in America, Britain, and Europe. 

Contains: Books, posters, scrapbooks, and optical toys. 

Dates covered: 1779-1930.

Good for: Examining primary sources about the work of women activists working on social reforms around the world

Contains: Archival collections including organizational records, letters and diaries

Dates covered: 1840-2010

Good for: Examining primary sources about the work of women activists contributing to international development programs, including the Peace Corps and United Nations organizations

Contains: Archival collections including organizational records  from intergovernmental (IGOs)  and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and personal papers of activists

Dates covered: 1919-2019

1903-1962
Original documents from the National Archives on the suffrage question in Britain, the Empire and colonial territories.

1820-1922
Pamphlets with advice and opinions about all kinds of 19th century controversies.

Good for: Searching books and periodicals, including full text access to those in the public domain and limited search for those still under copyright.

Contains: Scanned books and periodicals 

1600-1926
Cross-search five Making of Modern Law databases: Making of Modern Law: Foreign, Comparative and International Law 1600-1926, Making of Modern Law: Foreign Primary Sources, Making of Modern Law: Primary Sources 1620-1926, Making of Modern Law: Treatises, 1800-1926, and Making of Modern Law: Trials 1600-1926.

Good for: Finding primary source materials on exploration, trade, colonialism, slavery and abolition, the western movement, Native Americans, military actions and more.

Contains: Historical books, pamphlets, serials and other documents about North America, South America, Central America and the Caribbean.

Dates covered: 1500-1926

Good for: Researching U.S. legislative information. 

Contains: Congressional publications, bills, laws, regulations, committee information, and more. 

Dates covered: 1789-present.

1789-present
Contains searchable full text of all U.S. bills and resolutions from 1789 to the present.

1751-present 
Government reports, laws, legislative histories, ebooks and selected scholarly articles related to branches of the United States armed forces.

1600-1926
Cross-search five Making of Modern Law databases: Making of Modern Law: Foreign, Comparative and International Law 1600-1926, Making of Modern Law: Foreign Primary Sources, Making of Modern Law: Primary Sources 1620-1926, Making of Modern Law: Treatises, 1800-1926, and Making of Modern Law: Trials 1600-1926.

1945-1950
Records from the National Archives of the UK reveal challenges facing Displaced Persons, refugees and humanitarian aid organizations in the aftermath of World War II.

Good for: Primary sources documenting European colonization of the African continent from the British government’s perspective.

Contains: Government records from the British Colonial Office and Foreign Office.

Dates covered: 1834-1966.

Good for: Primary sources recording the British perspective on Central and South America and the French- and Spanish-speaking Caribbean.

Contains: Government and agency records.

Dates covered: 1833-1969.

Good for: Primary sources about British involvement in the Levant, the Arabian peninsula, Iran, Turkey, Egypt and Sudan.

Contains: Government and agency records.

Dates covered: 1839-1969.

Good for: Primary sources generated by the British Foreign and Colonial Offices about events in the United States, Canada, and the English-speaking Caribbean.

Contains: Government and agency records.

Dates covered: 1824-1961.

1919-1980
British Foreign Office files dealing with China, Hong Kong and Taiwan between 1919 and 1980.

1947-1980
Archival collection from the British Foreign Office focused on the political and social history of India, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

1919-1952
Archival collection from the British Foreign Office focused on Japan: sections on Japanese Imperialism and the War in the Pacific, 1931-1945; Occupation of Japan, 1946-1952; and Japan and Great Power Status, 1919-1930.

1971-1981
Archival collection from the British Foreign Office focused on the Middle East in the 1970s.

Good for: Texts on the invention and early history of photography, collections of photographs, photograph albums, and early books illustrated with photos.

Contains: Books, photographs

Dates covered: 1800s-early 1900s

Good for: Viewing narratives and images of 20th century China created by non-Chinese visitors

Contains: Newsreels, documentaries, and government and amateur films

Dates covered: 1900-1997

Good for: Viewing television news coverage of events in American and world history

Contains: Video clips from CBS news programming 

Dates covered: 1950s - 2010s

Good for: Researching the history of environmental issues like climate change, water and air pollution, biodiversity, conservation, agriculture, deforestation and more.

Contains:  Archival collections, published works, government information and historical documentary films

Dates covered: 1900-current

This streaming video service provides access to thousands of titles in such areas of the arts, humanities, business, sciences, media/communications, education and more.

Good for: Viewing or searching documentary films and video series on a wide range of topics in science, history, art, business and many more.

Contains: Streaming video 

Dates covered: 1979-current

Good for: Viewing documentaries on films, television, fashion, comics, and gaming.

Contains: Streaming video about popular culture

Dates covered: 1980 - current

Good for: Viewing films of late Victorian and Edwardian life. 

Contains: Streaming films

Dates covered: 1895-1913