Primary Source Timeline
See our Primary Source Timeline to browse a selection of primary source databases organized by coverage dates and locations.
Primary Sources
A primary source is material produced at the time of an event, or by a person being studied. Examples of primary sources are:
- personal and professional correspondence
- professional papers
- diaries and memoirs
- manuscripts
- political documents
- photographs and other images
- works of art and literature
- artifacts
- speeches
- autobiographies
- interviews and oral histories
- newspapers and magazine articles when written at the time of an event
Whenever possible, primary sources should be consulted. The thoughts of those who lived through an era or an event provide you with first-hand perspective on history, and allow you to question and challenge the assumptions made in secondary sources. Examining primary sources can also help you develop a thesis.
Primary sources can be difficult to find. Most databases do not have an option that allows for direct searching on primary sources. They are often interspersed in books or disorganized in large collections of materials. Detailed information about how to locate primary sources can be found on our Finding Primary Sources page.
Consult with Archives & Special Collections to locate Dickinson-related primary sources.
In addition, the databases below contain digitized copies of primary sources that are useful for general historical study. Additional primary source databases can be found in the Special Topics section of this guide.
- Ancestry Library Edition This link opens in a new windowAccess census data, military records, birth/death/marriage records, immigration records, slave narratives, historic maps, photographs, and biographical dictionaries and directories. This collection is especially useful for genealogy and advanced biographical research. Coverage: 1500s to present, contains primary sources. Mostly full text.
- Films on Demand Streaming This link opens in a new windowView streaming films from across the disciplines, including HBO documentaries. Search for specific video segments, organize videos into folders, and create personal playlists. Closed captioning is available for many films. This access may be used for on-campus showings by student groups and co-curricular programs for which no admission is charged. Coverage: varies, contains primary sources. Full text.
- Historical Newspapers This link opens in a new windowAccess historical articles and images from the American Hebrew & Jewish Messenger; American Israelite; Atlanta Constitution; Atlanta Daily World; Baltimore Afro-American; Boston Globe; Chicago Defender; Chicago Tribune; Chinese Newspapers Collection; Guardian & Observer; Jewish Advocate; Jewish Exponent; Los Angeles Times; New York Amsterdam News; New York Times; Philadelphia Inquirer; Philadelphia Tribune; Pittsburgh Courier; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Wall Street Journal; and Washington Post. Coverage: varies by paper ranging from 1791-2018, contains primary sources. Full text.
- World Digital Library This link opens in a new windowAccess multi-lingual cultural heritage materials from countries and cultures around the world. Coverage: antiquity to early 21st century, contains primary sources. Full text.
