Primary sources are information sources that document events in the time/era of the event; they are important because they present historical information from the point of view of those living through it. Likewise, secondary sources synthesize, analyze, and review primary sources. Both primary and secondary sources are necessary in nearly every field of study. The examples below will give you a sense of what types of information you could consult in your research.
Documentable Phenomena: elections, migrations, fads, scientific breakthroughs, disasters, political movements, etc.
Primary Sources (that document phenomena): newspaper articles, diaries, letters, photos, videos, tweets, interviews, etc.
Secondary Sources (that reference primary sources): scholarly humanities articles, encyclopedias, books and documentaries that utilize primary sources, etc.
Associated Press Images Collection is a searchable collection of recent and historical photos from the Associated Press, plus AP graphics, articles, and brief sound clips.
Full text articles from newspapers and periodicals published by ethnic, minority and native presses in the U.S. Includes both historic publications, starting in 1959, as well as current ones.
Readers' Guide indexes hundreds of general interest and specialized magazines dating from the late 19th century to the present with full text of articles for more recent publications.