UNST Portland - Mooradian Lupro: Historical Primary Sources
What is a Primary Source?
A primary source is an item that was created during the period being studied and documents in some way what is being studied.
Examples: Newspaper accounts, government documents, letters, diaries, autobiographies, speeches, oral histories, museum artifacts, photographs.
Finding Primary Sources
Search for Primary Sources
A primary source is an item that was created during the period being studied, and it documents in some way what is being studied. Examples of primary sources include speeches, diaries, newspapers, and personal accounts.
Additionally, primary sources can be contextual to the research, for example a television show like Game of Thrones could be a primary source for research about power relationships.
Search the PSU Library Catalog
Go to the PSU Library Catalog and look for primary sources on a certain topic by using the Advanced Search:
- In the first search field, leave the menu on Any Field and then enter keyword(s) for your topic;
- In the second search field, change the drop-down menu to Subject, then add the type of primary source.
This image shows a search for a memoir related to Paul West.
Choose multiple related topics by inserting a capitalized OR between them.
This image shows a search for "civil war" as a keyword phrase and correspondence OR diaries as the types of primary resources.
Search the Public Domain
If your topic is pre-1923, you can find primary sources that are in the public domain. Resources in the public domain are not under copyright protection and are usually available online for free. Google, HathiTrust, and the Digital Public Library of America have digitized documents from the world's major research libraries. The Chronicling America project at the Library of Congress has digitized American newspapers from 1836 to 1922.
Online Primary Source Collections
Seattle Taxicab Company Advertisement, 1911, from the University of Washington Digital Collections via Flickr Commons.
- American WestContains manuscripts, books, maps, photos, and other materials focusing on the American West.
- America's Historical NewspapersConsists of searchable digital facsimiles of local newspapers from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Read eyewitness reporting, editorials, letters, advertisements, obituaries, and reviews.
- American Indians of the Pacific Northwest Digital CollectionFrom the University of Washington, with scanned photographs, treaties, and reports.
- Century of Action: Oregon Women VoteCentury of Action celebrates 100 years of Oregon women's right to vote and advances the understanding of women's citizenship in Oregon's history.
- Columbia River Basin Ethnic History ArchiveMaps, documents, reports, newspapers, and more focusing on immigrant populations, including people identified as having African, Asian, European, or Latin American heritage, in the Columbia River Basin. This collection does not include Native American resources.
- Oregon Historical Society Digital CollectionsAccess to Oregon Historical Society's digital collections, including historical photographs, papers, and the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest Oral Histories.
- Oregon History ProjectThe Oregon History Project is an online resource for learning about Oregon's past. In these pages, the work of historians and writers will help you explore the history of Oregon through the perspectives of people who helped shape the state
- PDX Social History GuideLocation-based guide to the history of various communities in Portland. PDX Social History Guide brings their stories to the surface through interviews, mapping, art and photos. Each story features a summary, audio clip, and an image or map.
- Portland Planning Bureau: Historic Resources and PreservationProvides information about historic landmarks in Portland as well as historic Portland maps.
Historical Newspapers & Magazines
- Oregonian -- Historical Backfile 1861-2018Contains archival, full text articles of the Oregonian from 1861 to 2018, presented in image format as they appeared in the newspaper.
- Oregonian Newspaper Index Search (1852-1987)Indexes citations to Oregonian articles published from 1852 to 1987.
- America's Historical NewspapersConsists of searchable digital facsimiles of local newspapers from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Read eyewitness reporting, editorials, letters, advertisements, obituaries, and reviews.
- New York Times Historical FileArchives the New York Times from 1851 with full page images and articles.
The American West
An excellent library database for primary sources relevant to the Pacific Northwest.
- American WestContains manuscripts, books, maps, photos, and other materials focusing on the American West.
Local Collections and Archives
Using a special collections library or archive is different from using public and academic libraries. For example, not all of the items in the collection may be cataloged, and you will probably not be able to browse the collection. The organization may have limited hours. There may rules around what you can bring into the reading area: some will allow only pencils and not pens, and you should plan to leave your food and drinks at home.
To prepare for your visit, explore the organization's website to see what collections they hold. Check the organization's hours. And then contact the organization to make an appointment, as not all archives are open without appointment.
- Archives WestArchives West (formerly Northwest Digital Archives) provides information about archival collections at thirty-one archives in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Alaska.
- Portland State University Special CollectionsHoldings include papers documenting Oregon public leadership and planning, from elected leaders Avel Gordly, Gretchen Kafoury, Vera Katz, and Barbara Roberts, and urban planner Ernie Bonner. Other materials on Oregon history.
- City of Portland Archives & Records CenterHoldings include records generated by the City of Portland, including elected officials’ papers, department reports, planning maps, Ordinances and Resolutions, budget information, correspondence, and photos. Located on the 5h floor of the ASRC Building at PSU.
- Oregon Historical Society Research LibraryHoldings chronicle the history of Oregon from early European exploration to the present day. To use this library for free, Multnomah County residents should bring proof of address.
- Oregon Black Pioneers/Oregon African American MuseumThe mission of the Oregon Black Pioneers Corporation, also doing business as Oregon African American Museum Project (OBP/OAAMP), is to research, recognize and commemorate the culture and heritage of African Americans in the State of Oregon
- Oregon Nikkei Legacy CenterOregon Nikkei Legacy Center has a wealth of resources documenting Japanese American history and culture.
- Oregon Jewish MuseumThe Oregon Jewish Museum, the Pacific Northwest’s only Jewish museum, was founded to preserve the rich cultural heritage of one of Oregon’s earliest immigrant groups.
- Library at the Portland Art MuseumThe Anne and James F. Crumpacker Family Library is the region’s most comprehensive visual art resource open to students, researchers, docents, staff, and the public. The Library’s collection of more than 35,000 volumes originated in 1895 and includes current and historical periodicals, art archives, and resources specific to the Museum’s history.
- Architectural Heritage CenterA non-profit resource nexus for historic preservation owned and operated by the Bosco-Milligan Foundation. Tthe AHC hosts dozens of programs, tours, and exhibits each year which help people appreciate, restore, and maintain older and historic buildings, neighborhoods, and traditional commercial areas.
Primary vs Secondary Sources Video
Photographic Sources
Many of the sites mentioned in the Online Primary Source Collections list include historical photographs. These sites might also be useful:
- American Memory Project from the Library of CongressAmerican Memory provides free and open access through the Internet to written and spoken words, sound recordings, still and moving images, prints, maps, and sheet music that document the American experience.
- Flickr CommonsOffers public domain photographs and other photographs from national and international libraries, museums, archives, and cultural institutions.
- Oregon State University Special Collections & Archives Flickr CommonsOver 3000 historical photos of life in Oregon
- Portland State University Archives Digital GalleryThe Digital Gallery features images from the University Archives photograph collection documenting Portland State's rich history. The image collections, highlighting campus buildings and events, student life, and portraits of faculty and staff, can be searched and browsed by dates and keywords.
- Portland Then and NowTumblr blog from the Oregonian showing what locations in Portland looked like historically and now.