General History Research Help: Primary Sources

Lists of library books that contain primary sources from American history:

In many cases, primary sources will be a major component of your research. Here are some ways to search the Library Catalog for primary sources on your topic:

Search by subject:

• In the search box, type in a topic (a fairly broad topic works best), then type "Sources" or "History Sources."

• Example: "Greece History Sources."

• Click the "Subject" button and you'll see a list of books in the library with primary sources for that topic.

Do a Keyword search and add one of these terms:

• anecdotes
• correspondence
• diaries
• documents
• eyewitness
• letters
• oral history
• personal narratives
• primary sources
• speeches

Databases with primary sources from American history:

Try these e-books:

• Defining Documents in American History series
• Milestone Documents in African-American History

NOTE: Newspapers may count as secondary OR primary sources, depending on proximity to the event/issue at hand.

Websites with primary sources from American history:

TIP: Each state has its own official archive (here is Tennessee's archive), so be sure to seek those out when you are looking online for primary sources.