OWHL Guides: History 300: A Guide to Research: Primary Sources

Primary Sources in the Library

Primary sources are records of events or evidence as they are first described or actually happened without any interpretation or commentary. It's often most efficient to identify relevant primary sources that are cited/analyzed in the secondary sources on your topic, but you can also search for primary sources directly.

Top Primary Source Databases

Use them to find an article or primary source that has to do with your topic.

America’s Historical Newspapers Series: 1690-1922 This link opens in a new window
This database contains American newspaper articles from the late 17th century through 1922.
American History, 1493-1945 This link opens in a new window
This unique collection documents American History from the earliest settlers to the mid-twentieth century. It is sourced from the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the finest archives available for the study of American History.
American Indian Newspapers This link opens in a new window
From historic pressings to contemporary periodicals, explore nearly 200 years of Indigenous print journalism from the US and Canada. With newspapers representing a huge variety in publisher, audience and era, discover how events were reported by and for Indigenous communities.
ARTSTOR This link opens in a new window
A digital library of over two million images from some of the world's leading museums, archives, scholars, and artists. (note: This Artstor link will be retired on 7/31/2024.)
Black Life In America This link opens in a new window
This news database offers comprehensive coverage of the African American experience from the early 18th century to the present day, sourced from more than 19,000 American and global news sources, including over 400 current and historical Black publications. It is an easy-to-use online resource.
Gale Primary Sources This link opens in a new window
Search across 19th Century US Newspapers, Liberty Magazine Historical Archives (1924-50), Smithsonian Collections, The Illustrated London News Historical Archive (1842-2003) and The Times Digital Archive (1785-2009).
Gale Primary Sources Smithsonian Collections Online This link opens in a new window
This resource combines rare nineteenth and twentieth century archival materials on such topics as World’s Fairs and trade literature and is paired with modern Smithsonian Magazine and Air & Space Magazine backfiles to present unique and comprehensive insight into history, science, nature, the arts, innovation, technology, and world culture.
ProQuest Historical Newspapers This link opens in a new window
Search and read full text articles from 28 historical newspapers, including New York Times, Boston Globe, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, and more.
• The Atlanta Constitution (1868-1984)
• Atlanta Daily World (1931-2003)
• The Baltimore Afro-American (1893-1988)
• The Baltimore Sun (1837-1987)
• The Boston Globe (1872-1984)
• Chicago Defender (1909-1975)
• Chicago Tribune (1849-1992)
• The Christian Science Monitor (1908-2003)
• Cleveland Call and Post (1934-1991)
• Detroit Free Press (1831-1922)
• The Guardian and The Observer (1791-2003)
• Hartford Courant (1764-1990)
• Indianapolis Star (1903-1922)
• The Irish Times and The Weekly Irish Times (1859-2015)
• Los Angeles Sentinel (1934-2005)
• Los Angeles Times (1881-1989)
• New York Amsterdam News (1922-1993)
• New York Times (1851-2014)
• New York Tribune (1841-1922)
• Norfolk Journal and Guide (1916-2003)
• Philadelphia Tribune (1912-2001)
• Pittsburgh Courier (1911-2002)
• San Francisco Chronicle (1865-1922)
• The Scotsman (1817-1950)
• The St. Louis Post Dispatch (1874-1922)
• The Times of India (1838-2007)
• The Wall Street Journal (1889-1999)
• The Washington Post (1877-1999)

Print Resources

Visit the Welcome Desk to take a look at the books on Reserve! You can check these books out and use them in the library for up to 2 hours. To find Reserves books and more, search the catalog below using keywords that relate to your topic. Try a very short phrase or a single word (ex. Lavender Scare) to capture your topic and add words like documents, sources, letters, papers, etc. to find books with primary sources.

Phillips Academy Archives & Special Collections

Primary Source Websites & Online Collections

Important Note!

No source is inherently primary or secondary. How you classify a source (a newspaper article for example) entirely depends on whether it provides you with analysis or direct evidence of an historical event, time period, or issue. YOU are the context that matters. If you are unsure about whether a source is primary or secondary (especially if you need a certain number of each for your assignment), check with a librarian or your instructor.

History 300: A Guide to Research: Primary Sources