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HIS 378: Kelleher

Research guide for Dr. Kelleher's History 378 classes.

Searching for Primary Resources Using Library Resources

Using the Library Catalog:

When searching in the Library Catalog do an advanced search and add the word “sources” to your search. Example:
“Thomas Jefferson” and sources

Other keywords to try:

sources
diaries
personal narratives
interviews
letters

Example searches:
civil war
personal narratives
slave narratives

NOTE: You can also use these techniques in WorldCat

Using Library Databases

Professor Recommended Databases

Other Primary Source Databases

Database Name  Focus Content Time Period

Accessible Archives

America Includes African-American Newspaper Collection, American and WW I, American County histories, the Civil War Newspapers, Godey's Lady's Book, The Liberator, the PA Gazette (America's first "paper of record"), and other American primary source documents. View collections. 1700s - early 1900s

Adam Matthew Explorer

International Access the entire Adam Matthew Digital Portfolio of published content through 2018. Discover unique primary source content from leading archives and libraries around the world. Includes hundreds of thousands of documents, hundreds of hours of video and oral histories, and thousands of images. Total of 78 collections. View title list 1600s - early 2000s
Archives Unbound America Archives Unbound presents topically-focused digital collections of historical documents.  A multi-disciplinary resource, collections cover a broad range of topics from the Middle Ages forward-from Witchcraft to World War II to twentieth-century political history. Particular strengths include U.S. foreign policy; U.S. civil rights; global affairs and colonial studies; and modern history.  1600s - early 2000s
CQ Researcher International A database of in-depth, authoritative reports on a full range of political and social-policy issues extending back to 1923. 1923 - current
Digital National Security Archives America Declassified US gov't documents relating to US foreign policy.  Major collections include Afghanistan, Cuban Missile crisis, El Salvador, Irangate, Phillipines 1945 - current
Digital Sanborn Maps America Sanborn fire insurance maps are valuable historical tools for anyone who wants to learn about the history, growth, and development of Pennsylvania cities, towns, and neighborhoods.  1867-1970
Ebony America Ebony is one of the key African-American magazines of the 20th century, covering 20th and 21st-Century current events, art, design, politics and culture, literature, advertising, and more.  1945-2014
Films on Demand America Includes archival news footage and films from American history.  Examples: Nixon's address on Vietnam, WPA films, old TV commercials, WW II footage. 1919 - present
Gale Virtual Reference Library Mostly American Speeches, letters, legislation, treaties, journal entries 19th and 20th centuries
HarpWeek America Popular 19th century news and social magazine 1857 to 1912
HeinOnline America Legal research database. Also has a number of primary source collections including American Indians, Civil Rights, Social Justice, Pandemics, Executive Privilege, Gun Regulation, Impeachment Library, JFK Assassination, Legal Classics, Slavery, Supreme Court, Presidential Libraries. Late 19th to current
Historical Statistics of the United States United States Historical Statistics of the United States is a compendium of statistics about United States. 1790s - 2000s
Life Magazine Archive (EBSCO) America Life Magazine Archive presents an extensive collection of the famed photojournalism magazine, spanning its very first issue in November, 1936 through December, 2000 in a comprehensive cover-to-cover format. 1936-2000
Newsbank International This collection includes 12,000+ sources including international/national/local, 181 image editions and a variety of specialized subject specific content like business/health trade journals, broadcast transcripts, etc. 1980 - current
ProQuest Historical Newspapers America

Search the full text of the following historical newspapers:

Pittsburgh Post Gazette
Philadelphia Inquirer
New York Times
Wall St Journal

1786 - 2016
Readex Digital Archives America Includes historical newspaper collection, Early American imprints, and broadsides/ephemera collections 1600s - current
Statista - Historical Data International Statistical data on a myriad of historical topics. 500s - current
Women and Social Movements America
Brings together books, images, documents, scholarly essays, commentaries, and bibliographies, documenting the multiplicity of women.s activism in public life.
1600 - 2000