We see historical events one way, but how did people see it back then? Have you ever wondered what people at a given point in time thought about current events and issues? You'll always need to find today's scholarly articles on your research topic, but historical primary sources can help you to explore the historical context of your topic within its own time.
Try searching in one of our historical collections to find historical books, journals, and newspaper articles that respond to your topic from the past!
Records of the Americans for Democratic Action (ADA) and the Union for Democratic Action (founded in 1941) to combat fascism at home and abroad. Founded in 1947 as a national, independent, liberal organization; the collection concerns ADA's administration, legislative lobbying and political activities, its chapters throughout the country and on various campuses, conventions, and relations with other organizations.
This collection covers investigations and tracking of the activities of Communist groups, Communist-front groups, and other left-wing organizations in the U.S. by the FBI and the Subversive Activities Control Board from 1945-1972. It includes files from the office of FBI director J. Edgar Hoover, many of which were originally intended to be destroyed but were preserved through both intended and inadvertent exceptions to Hoover’s orders.
This collection contains records of the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and the Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW), in addition to the documents of 10 other anti-Vietnam War organizations.
Contains records of civil rights organizations and personal papers on African American life in the 20th century. Also contains collections from federal government agencies and records on the major milestones and events in the civil rights movement.
The NAACP Papers collections contains internal memos, legal briefings, and direct action summaries from national, legal, and branch offices throughout the country. It charts the work of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and delivers a first-hand view into crucial issues of the struggle for civil rights.
Major topics covered in this collection include inflation, bilingual education, police brutality, political unrest in Latin America, Haitian refugees, and immigration (legal and otherwise), Puerto Rican self-determination, and the U.S. Navy’s use of Vieques Island. Also documents important Latino organizations, including LULAC, TELACU, La Raza, the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, and the American G.I. Forum.
This database includes records of the National Woman's Party, the League of Women Voters, and the Women's Action Alliance. The NWP was founded in 1913 when Alice Paul and colleagues broke away from the National American Woman Suffrage Association in dissent over strategy and tactics. The WAA, established in 1971, concerned itself with issues such as employment, childcare, health care, and education. The LWV collection covers women's involvement in U.S. politics from 1920 to 1974.
John A. Ryan was a social justice advocate and theoretician in the Catholic Church during the first half of the 20th century. Ryan was a Professor of Political Science and Professor of Moral Theology at the Catholic University of America and Director of the National Catholic Welfare Council's Social Action Department. Ryan’s relationship with President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal both personally and politically garnered him the nickname "Right Reverend New Dealer."
Contains documentation on the growth and transformation of four major labor organizations.
Features documents relating to American workers and labor unions in the 20th century, with an emphasis on the interaction between workers and the U.S. federal government.
This database provides a comprehensive understanding of the activities and priorities of Samuel Gompers and the American Federation of Labor from the 1880s through WWI and Gompers's death in 1924. The collection includes correspondence, executive council records, newspaper clippings, convention records, circular letters, speeches, writings, and legal documents, including court records.
