A primary source can be defined as a first-hand account from a time period that you are studying. Primary sources include: Original documents such as diaries, speeches, autobiographies, manuscripts, letters, maps, postcards, interviews, laws, court decisions, treaties, photographs, and newspaper reports. Primary sources can include texts of government documents that have been reprinted into a book or posted on a website. Oral histories, where a person gives their recollection of an era or event, can also be considered a primary source.
To access these databases from off campus, you will be prompted to log in. Your log in username and password are your last name and the last four digits of your student ID number (example: smith2345 or clinton-dix4567).
The following titles can be used only in the library. Students are welcome to photocopy pages.
Milestone Documents in African American History by
Among the documents included in the set are iconic speeches and writings by leaders such as Sojourner Truth, Mary McLeod Bethune, and Shirley Chisholm. Key congressional reports, executive orders, and letters help round out our coverage, providing an invaluable collection of primary documents that is paired with extensive original commentary that helps students understand the documents.
Milestone Documents in American History by
Provides text of key documents from American history with expert analysis.
Milestone Documents of American Leaders by
This set pairs primary source texts with expert analysis by esteemed historians. Milestone Documents of American Leaders features important full-text sources written by prominent women in U.S. history.
Women in the American Civil War by
Includes letters and diary entries by famous and less well-known women during the American Civil War.
Below are some websites offering primary sources. Before trusting a website, evaluate it to ensure credibility.