Primary Source Collections
The phrase "primary source" means different things to different people in different disciplines. For example, in English a primary source could be any text you're reading (novel, poem, short story, etc.) and the secondary source could be anything written about that text (a book or article of literary criticism, a book review, etc.).
- Afro-Americana Imprints 1535-1922 This link opens in a new window
An important collection of Afro-Americana Imprints, 1535-1922 useful to African-American studies. Includes a wide range of archival materials including books, pamphlets and broadsides. Coverage includes the West's discovery and exploitation of Africa; the rise of slavery in the New World; the growth and success of abolitionist movements; the development of racial thought and racism; and descriptions of African American life -- slave and free.
- American Periodicals This link opens in a new window
Contains page images of historic American magazines, journals and newspapers. These resources illustrate the development of American culture, politics and society from the mid-eighteenth century through 1900.
- Early English Books Online (EEBO) This link opens in a new window
Read the full-text of titles listed in the Pollard & Redgrave Short-Title Catalogue (1475-1640) and Wings Short-Title Catalogue (1641-1700) and their revised editions, as well as the Thomason Tracts (1640-1661) collection and the Early English Books Tract Supplement.
- Eighteenth Century Collections Online (ECCO) This link opens in a new window
Read from this online archive of digitized versions of every significant English-language and foreign-language title printed in the United Kingdom from 1701-1800. The collection includes books, pamphlets, broadsides and ephemera covering a broad range of subjects across the humanities, social sciences, and sciences.
- HarpWeek (1857-1871) This link opens in a new window
Read the full-text of Harper's Weekly (1857-1912), the leading American illustrated magazine of the period. Covers political, military, social and cultural issues. Search by section: subjects, illustrations, literature, and advertising.
- Historical New York Times This link opens in a new window
The Historical NYT is an online digital reproduction of the New York Times, including photographs and advertisements.
- Sunday Times Digital Archive (1822-2006) This link opens in a new window
Browse digital image reproductions of articles and ads from The Sunday Times (London, England) for the years 1822-2006. The newspaper is reproduced from cover to cover in pdf formatted files. Note: Search the Times Digital Archives for Monday through Saturday articles.
- Times Digital Archive This link opens in a new window
Browse digital image reproductions of articles and ads from The Sunday Times (London, England) for the years 1822-2006. The newspaper is reproduced from cover to cover in pdf formatted files. Note: Does not include the content found in the Sunday Times Digital Archive.
- Wellesley Index to Victorian Periodicals, 1824-1900 This link opens in a new window
Search the complete text of journals and ebooks published by Wiley. Unavailable items are marked with a locked icon.
- Women and Social Movements in the United States This link opens in a new window
Study the history of US women and their role in social change between 1600 and 2000. Search primary documents, reviews, archive notes, and teaching tools. Includes local, state, and federal level commission reports. The resource will be useful to anyone studying women's issues and curriculum developers.
- Special Collections & Archives, Wright State University LibrariesSearch our Special Collections & Archives site for primary resources and a historic perspective on your topic - develop into a great opening story.
