LibGuides: AMS 311S: (Mis)Remembering the South / Johnson: Find Primary Sources

Primary Sources

Looking for primary sources for Large Assignments 1 and 2? You're in the right place!

Below you'll find databases that provide thousands of primary sources related to the U.S. South. I highlighted some digital collections that might be your "best bets", but there are so many other databases that might have what you're looking for.

Wondering what counts as a primary source? See this page for a helpful definition and a comparison chart of secondary vs primary sources!

Still not finding what you need? Email me, and I'm happy to reply with a recommendation or meet with you to discuss your assignment.

Select Primary Source Databases

Documenting the American South
Most comprehensive collection of primary sources related to the South in one place. You can search the whole site, or you can browse and search within these collections.

American Civil War: Letters and Diaries This link opens in a new window
1855 - 1875. Unlimited users.
Updated regularly (until completed). Includes approximately 100,000 pages of published memoirs, letters and diaries from individuals plus 4,000 pages of previously unpublished materials. Drawn from more than 1,000 sources, the collection provides in-depth coverage of all aspects of the war. More than 1,000 biographies will enhance the use of the database.

Digital Library of Appalachia
The Digital Library of Appalachia provides online access to archival and historical materials related to the culture of the southern and central Appalachian region
Documenting White Supremacy and its Opponents in the 1920s
Newspapers of white nationalist and the KKK propaganda from the 1920s. Also includes collection of anti-Klan newspapers published by Black American, Catholic, and Jewish communities
Southern Life, Slavery, and the Civil War
These collections focus on the Civil War period, but some modules offer post- Reconstruction era sources and beyond. If the direct link to the list of modules does not work, try this link and click on “Read more” under the “Southern Life, Slavery, and the Civil War” title.
American Civil War Sesquicentennial Web Archive
Collection of websites with varying perspectives commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Civil War
The Confederate and Neo-Confederate Reader: The "Great Truth" About the "Lost Cause"
Collection of primary source documents about memories of the Confederacy, the Civil War, and the actions of neo-Confederates.

African American Communities (AAC) This link opens in a new window
1869 - 1985. Unlimited.

Presents multiple aspects of the African American community through personal diaries and scrapbooks, pamphlets, newspapers and periodicals, correspondence, official records and in-depth oral histories.
Arte Público Hispanic Historical Collection: Series 1 This link opens in a new window
Colonial times - 1960. Unlimited users.
Provides access to a digital collection of historical content pertaining to U.S. Hispanic history, literature and culture. Includes historical articles, newspapers, religious pamphlets, broadsides, historical books, letters, short stories, poems, advertisements, and more. The content is in Spanish (80%) and English (20%), and is searchable in both languages. Materials are drawn from the Recovering the U.S. Hispanic Literary Heritage Project.
Arte Público Hispanic Historical Collection: Series 2 This link opens in a new window
19th and 20th century. Unlimited.
Presents thematic content focusing on the evolution of Hispanic civil rights, religious thought, and the growing presence of women writers from the late 19th and 20th centuries. Rare and relevant books and newspapers – including rare anarchist newspapers – are presented in their original form. Extensive manuscript collections of both organizations and individuals are included for viewing, and are indexed for ease of search and maximum discovery. This collection offers a unique approach by focusing exclusively on the Latino-Hispanic history of the United States.
Civil War: Part I: A Newspaper Perspective This link opens in a new window
1860 - 1865. Unlimited users.
Provides full text access to selected articles published between November 1, 1860 and April 15, 1865 from The New York Herald, The Charleston Mercury and the Richmond Enquirer. Begins with the events preceding the outbreak of war at Fort Sumter, continues through the surrender at Appomattox, and concludes with the assassination and funeral of Abraham Lincoln. Since the major events are described in detail by both Union and Confederate papers, their opposing perspectives are readily available for comparative evaluation. Includes descriptive news articles, eye-witness accounts and official reports of battles and events, editorials, advertisements and biographies as well as other topics of the day.
Confederate Military Manuscripts and Records of Union Generals and the Union Army This link opens in a new window
1861 - 1865. Unlimited users.
The collections in the Confederate Military Manuscripts cover the perspective of an army commander or an administrative department down to the level of the private soldier, covering all aspects of their military service and experience, while also offering glimpses of life on the home front. Several previously unpublished collections of records of the Union Army are also integral to this module. Highlights include papers of spies, scouts, guides and detectives, including a series on Allan Pinkerton; records on military discipline from courts-martial, courts of inquiry and investigations by military commissions; and records of the U.S. Colored Troops.
Digital Sanborn Maps 1867-1970 This link opens in a new window
1867 - 1970. Unlimited users.
A collection of large-scale, detailed maps from 1867-1970 depicting the commercial, industrial, and residential sections of more than 12,000 U.S. towns and cities.
The available states on our site are: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.
Access to this resource is funded by the Littlefield Fund for Southern History.
Heritage Quest Online Ancestry This link opens in a new window
Coverage varies. Unlimited users.
HeritageQuest Online is a database of American genealogical sources, including primary sources, local and family histories, research guides, interactive census maps, and more. Core datasets include census, books, city directories, military records, wills and probate records, Freedman's Bank records, US Serial Set, maps, and photos.
HistoryMakers This link opens in a new window
1801-present. Unlimited users.
This resource’s unique content is primarily composed of video oral histories recording the African American experience in the first-person. Testimonies captured in The HistoryMakers Collection interviews are conducted in homes and offices across the United States and abroad. The interviews reveal the broad scope of narratives of African American men and women who have made significant contributions to American life, history, and culture during the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries.
Images of the American Civil War This link opens in a new window
Dates of coverage vary. Unlimited users.
Updated quarterly (until completed). Presents 50,000 contemporaneous photographs, including nearly 30,000 wartime recruiting posters, envelopes, and ephemera. Find and view images covering casualties, home life, prisons, hospitals, weaponry, transportation, political and military leaders, and more. Search for images associated with a particular battle or campaign; find images by place, photographer, or publisher; or locate pictures by setting (interior, exterior, or studio photographs). Additional material continues to be added to the collection.
Access to this resource is funded by the Littlefield Fund for Southern History.
Plantations Records (Part II): Records of Southern Plantations From Emancipation To The Great Migration This link opens in a new window
1775 - 1915. Unlimited users.
- Series B: Selections from the Louisiana and Lower Mississippi Valley Collections, LouisianaState University Libraries:
  - Part 1: Louisiana Sugar Plantations
  - Part 2: Louisiana Cotton Plantations
  - Part 3: Louisiana Sugar Plantations (BayouLafourche and Bayou Teche)
  - Part 4: Mississippi Cotton Plantations
  - Part 5: Albert Batchelor Papers
  - Part 6: Weeks Family Papers
- Series C: Selections from the South CarolinaLibrary, University of South Carolina:
  - Part 1: The Hammond Family Papers
  - Part 2: Selected Collections

Portal to Texas History
Includes a vast amount of rare, historical, and primary source materials from or about Texas.

Texas County Histories This link opens in a new window
Coverage varies. Unlimited.
Full text of publications from Texas counties.
Texas Newspaper Archive This link opens in a new window
1838 - 2019. Unlimited users.
Digitized copies and content of Texas newspapers, including The Austin Daily Texan (1900-2019), Galveston Daily News (1865-2017), San Antonio Express (1865-1977), San Antonio Light (1883-1977) and hundreds of other Texas newspapers.

African American Newspapers This link opens in a new window
1827 - 1957. Unlimited.

Collection of African American newspapers that contains a wealth of information about cultural life and history during the 1800s, first-hand reports of the major events and issues of the day, early biographies, vital statistics, essays and editorials, poetry and prose, and advertisements all of which embody the African-American experience.
African American Newspapers, Series 1 This link opens in a new window
1827 - 1998. Unlimited users.

Updated regularly (until completed). When completed, will provide online access to approximately 270 African American U.S. newspapers. Features papers from more than 35 states. The newspapers were scanned from the collections of the Wisconsin Historical Society, Kansas State Historical Society and the Library of Congress.
African American Periodicals This link opens in a new window
1825 - 1995. Unlimited users.

African American Periodicals, 1825-1995, features more than 170 wide-ranging periodicals by and about African Americans. Published in 26 states, the publications include academic and political journals, commercial magazines, institutional newsletters, organizations bulletins, annual reports and other genres.
Atlanta Daily World (Historical) This link opens in a new window
1931-2010. Unlimited users.
Full page and article images of Atlanta Daily World (1931-2010) and Atlanta World (1931-1932), with searchable full text. Users can study the progression of issues over time by browsing issues of this historic Southern Black community newspaper, including news articles, photos, advertisements, classified ads, obituaries, editorials, cartoons, and more.
Austin American Statesman (Historical) This link opens in a new window
1871 - 1980. Unlimited users.
Provides full text and full image articles with digital reproductions of every page, every article and every issue in PDF format. As the leading newspaper in the capital of Texas, the Historical Austin American Statesman provides researchers with unique insights into the political, economic, cultural, and social life of this important state, as well as the southwest U.S. from the late 19th through the 20th century. The paper has strong central Texas coverage, especially for political reporting.
More recent issues are available in LexisNexis Academic, Factiva and Library PressDisplay.
Dallas Morning News (Historical) This link opens in a new window
1885 - 1984. Unlimited users.
Provides comprehensive coverage for one of the largest daily newspapers in Texas. Accessible by keyword and date searching. Documents major events in Texas, the United States, and the world, providing valuable primary source information. Includes classified and display advertising, photos and graphics.
Houston Chronicle (Historical) This link opens in a new window
1901-1985. Additional coverage may be available for 1996-2017. Unlimited.
Research Houston history through the Houston Chronicle Historical Collection. Study trends, issues, events, advertisements, companies and more through historical and current full newspaper pages, full-text articles and content only published online. Available remotely 24/7 on any device. Includes full newspaper pages.
Houston Post (Historical) This link opens in a new window
1886–1995. Unlimited.
Research Houston history through the Houston Post Historical Collection with coverage from 1886 – 1995. Primary source information to examine events, issues and daily life in the context of the historical period, featuring archived full newspaper pages. Available remotely 24/7 on any device. Includes full newspaper pages.

Portal to Texas History
Includes historical Texas newspapers and much more

More Primary Source Databases

How to Analyze Primary Sources

While primary sources are often desirable for the raw, non-interpreted information they provide, it is important to analyze them for your research. Ask yourself these questions:

Who is the creator and what was their relationship to the event or issue?
Why did the creator produce this source?
Was the source for personal use? For a large audience?
Was the source intended to be public (newspaper) or private (correspondence)?
Everyone has biases. What biases or interests might have influenced how the source was created?
Can the source be substantiated by other primary sources? Can you confirm what the creator is saying?