Primary Sources
Databases and Web SitesPrimary sources are documents that were created by someone who had direct personal knowledge of the events described. Depending on circumstances, diaries, interviews, letters, memoirs, maps, movies, photographs, sound recordings, and speeches may all be considered primary sources. Many museums, libraries, and commercial publishers make reproductions of primary sources available online. Here is a selection of useful databases and collections: Books, primary documents, photographs, movies, and sound recordings from the Library of Congress. (Full-text). Archive of speeches, documents, and statistics. (Full-text). American Rhetoric: Online Speech Bank Free website with famous speeches in audio, video, or text formats. (Streaming media). Documents in law, history, and diplomacy from 1600 to the present. (Full-text). Core Documents of U.S. Democracy The Federalist Papers, records of the Constitutional Convention, and other historical documents. (Full-text). Current video and audio clips, plus historical archives of political speeches and events. (Full-text). Documenting the American South Texts and oral histories relating "Southern history, literature, and culture." (Full-text). Videos clips of historic events and campaign ads. (Full-text). Historic documents of Europe from antiquity to modern times. (Full-text). Institute of Texas Cultures Oral Histories Selected oral histories from UT San Antonio. (Streaming media). Internet History Sourcebooks Project Links to transcriptions of primary sources documents. (Internet links). U.S. Congressional publications such as bills, hearings, speeches, and voting records.(Full-text). Presidential campaign commercials from 1952 to 2004. (Full-text). Links to primary source documents in Texas history. (Internet links). New York Public Library Picture Collections Historic photographs from the collections of the New York Public Library. (Digital images). Search for historical documents, images, and sound recordings. (Internet links). POTUS : Presidents of the United States Biographies of each presidents with links to documents and papers. (Internet links). Public Papers of the Presidents, 1991 to present Official messages, statements, and speeches. (Full-text). Oral histories of 77 Tejanos and Tejanas on life in post-World War II Texas. (Streaming media). Search for photographs, maps, letters, books, artifacts, and other primary documents. (Internet links). Vital Speeches of the Day, 1934 to present A monthly magazine that publishes important public speeches. (Full-text). Voices from the Days of Slavery Interviews with former slaves from the Archive of Folk Culture collections. (Streaming media). The official site includes speeches and public statements. (Full-text). Short life histories of average Americans made for WPA programs from 1936 to 1940. (Full-text).
BooksTo find primary sources in books, search for your topic combined with one of these terms: sources, correspondence, or personal narratives. Find books and videos in the UHD Library's print and electronic collections. (Some full-text). Electronic books in almost every
field. Features include full-text searching, bookmarks, and
personal notes. (Full-text). Electronic books from academic, professional, and popular publishers. (Full-text). A catalog of books, dissertations, sound recordings, and videos in libraries around the world. (Citations only)
Examples of Book Searches: African Americans -- History -- Sources Great Britain -- History -- Sources Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826 -- Correspondence Slaves -- United States -- Correspondence Speeches Addresses Etc, American United States -- History -- Civil war, 1861-1865 -- Personal narratives United States -- Politics and Government -- Sources Vietnam war -- Personal narratives Women -- United States -- History -- Sources
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