Primary Sources in BU Libraries Search
The search box on the main library webpage (use Advanced Search) is a good place to begin a search for primary sources. The library uses Library of Congress subject headings to classify the books in the collection and there are a number of Library of Congress subheadings that point to primary sources. They are:
- correspondence
- sources
- diaries
- personal narratives
- interviews
- speeches
- documents
- archives
- early works to 1800
These terms can be used in a subject search or a keyword search. Examples of subject searches would be:
- United States--History--War of 1812– Personal Narratives
- Presidents--United States--Messages
- Watergate Affair, 1972-1974-Sources
Examples of keyword searches would be:
- Civil War and diaries
- American Revolution and sources
- Lyndon Johnson and interviews
Many primary documents are reprinted in published sources such as Documents of American History, Annals of America, and Speeches of the American Presidents and these and others are available in the library.
Primary Source Databases
- Law and Society since the Civil War This link opens in a new window A collection of documents from the Harvard Law School Library featuring the papers of three Supreme Court Justices, the first Black federal judge, and the Sacco and Vanzetti case.
- Slavery and the Law This link opens in a new window Features petitions on race, slavery, and free blacks that were submitted to state legislatures and county courthouses between 1775 and 1867. Also includes the State Slavery Statutes collection, a comprehensive record of the laws governing American slavery from 1789-1865.
- North American Immigrant Letters, Diaries and Oral Histories This link opens in a new window Letters, diaries, pamphlets, autobiographies, and oral histories; much material was unpublished.
- Immigration Records of the INS (1880 - 1930) This link opens in a new window Covers the investigations made by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) during the massive immigration wave of 1880-1930, especially among Japanese and Chinese.
- Making of America The Cornell University Library Making of America Collection is a digital library of primary sources in American social history from the antebellum period through reconstruction. The collection is particularly strong in the subject areas of education, psychology, American history, sociology, religion, and science and technology. This site provides access to 267 monograph volumes and over 100,000 journal articles with 19th century imprints
Historical Newspapers
- ProQuest Historical Newspapers This link opens in a new window Full-page images and article images (PDF) with searchable full text from the following newspapers: Boston Globe; New York Times; Washington Post; Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, and Chicago Defender. See listing for each individual newspaper for specific access information and to search that publication separately. Additional content for some titles is added on a one year rolling basis.
- America's Historical Newspapers This link opens in a new window Fully searchable digital images of newspapers from 23 states and the District of Columbia. Focusing largely on the 18th and early 19th centuries.
- Accessible Archives This link opens in a new window Eyewitness accounts of historical events, ads and genealogical records published in popular 19th century newspapers including African-American publications.
- Library of Congress web guide A Web guide developed by the Library of Congress listing and linking to various documents from the American Revolution to 1920.
- Chronicling America Search America's historic newspaper pages from 1836-1922 or use the U.S. Newspaper Directory to find information about American newspapers published between 1690-present.
Print books
Speeches of the American Presidents by
Presents more than 200 major speeches by 43 U.S. presidents, from Washington through George W. Bush.
Publication Date: 2001
Documents of American History by
This volume covers 1492 to 1898, and the second volume from 1899 to the 1970s; together they total 670 important documents, each with its own introduction.
Publication Date: 1988
