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Primary Sources
This research guide will help students find and cite primary source materials, with special attention to resources related to topics frequently covered in ENGL 102 courses.
Access to a broad range of previously classified federal records from the twentieth and twenty first centuries, including presidential libraries, diplomatic correspondence, domestic surveillance, and military reports.
Here you can view documents released through the FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) and other CIA release programs. You can search all the documents by using the search bar at the top of the page, or you can browse individual collections of documents on historically significant topics compiled by our office.
The Veterans History Project of the American Folklife Center collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. *Not all items are accessible. Click on "Digitized" items.
A collection of speeches given by prominent Americans between 1918 and 1920, focused largely around World War I. *The search bar is located at the top of the page. Click "Collection Items" to browse.
Just over 500 historical sources examining key themes in the history of World War I. *Best used by browsing the themes on the left side of the page. The search feature will include articles that are not primary sources.
A collection of primary source material documenting the First World War. In four parts, Personal Experiences, Propaganda and Recruitment, Visual Perspectives and Narratives, and A Global Conflict.
A collection consisting of mainly photographs at the moment. *When searching, check the 'Items with Images Only' box to assure that the item has been digitized.
The images in this collection track American sentiment about the war in Europe, week by week, before and after the United States became involved. Events of the war are detailed alongside society news and advertisements touting products of the day, creating a pictorial record of both the war effort and life at home. *The search bar is located at the top of the page. Click "Collection Items" to browse.
The Air Scoop weekly newsletter informed and entertained members of the 63rd College Training Detachment based at the University of Tennessee during World War II. The detachment’s goal was to run a publication for and by aviation students in the detachment in order to unify the organization and to share news related to military training and social events occurring on and around the Knoxville campus.
Approx. 11 million still pictures, aerial photographs and posters from modern German history. First photographs date from the 1860s. Most pictures show events and/or persons, in particular from the WWII era.
*Information and description of photographs is in German. This resource is best used by searching particular names, places, or events.
Photographs documenting American life between 1935 and 1944. Includes photos of factory workers supporting the war effort, American propaganda, soldiers at home, and much more. *Use the search bar, or select "View All" on the left to browse.
The Museum’s Collections document the fate of Holocaust victims, survivors, rescuers, liberators, and others through artifacts, documents, photos, films, books, personal stories, and more.
This collection contains maps showing troop positions beginning on June 6, 1944 to July 26, 1945. Starting with the D-Day Invasion, the maps give daily details on the military campaigns in Western Europe, showing the progress of the Allied Forces as they push towards Germany. *The search bar is located at the top of the page. Click "Collection Items" to browse.
Multiple collections that document Jewish life before, during, and after the war, the victims of the Holocaust, and the Righteous Among the Nations. Includes photographs, documents/records, and oral histories.
A collection of primary source documents related to the Korean War. Obtained largely from Russian archives, the documents include reports on Chinese and Soviet aid to North Korea, allegations that America used biological weapons, and the armistice.
The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum acquires, preserves, arranges and describes, and provides access to primary-source materials in all formats that document the life, political career, and times of John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States. *Not all materials have been fully digitized.
A collection of materials from LBJ's presidency. Includes photographs, oral histories, LBJ's daily dairy, and phone records. *Limit to "digital item" to assure access.
Primary source material and personal narratives from 1960-1974 in the United States. Topics include the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War and the associated protest movement, radical movements, and counter-culture.
The mission of the OHP is to create and preserve a more complete record of the wars in Southeast Asia by preserving, through recorded interviews, the recollections and experiences of all who were involved in those wars.
These telegrams, minutes, and discussion notes range from the mid-1950s to the end of the 1970s, and most come from Chinese and Albanian archives. There are many documents from Albania archives on Vietnam-Albanian relations. The collection also includes several Chinese telegrams and memorandums on foreign and economic relations with Indochina, as well as discussions with Zhou Enlai and Mao Zedong.
A tremendous collection of archival documents on the Cold War era from the once secret archives of former communist countries.
Since many of the wars and conflicts in the Middle East have happened relatively recently, primary sources for them can be found in most collections and databases. That can make this a difficult search for many students. If you have any questions on whether a source qualifies as a primary source for your topic, please contact Research Assistance.
Online collection that documents the Clinton presidency. Browse by collection or use the small search bar in the upper-right corner to search all materials.
Collected papers and speeches of President George Bush from the period 20 January 1989 to 19 January 1993. *These are searchable, but do not provide a preview. Open the items that come up, then use your computer's search function to search again in the document to jump to the right place.
This briefing book primarily focuses on the intelligence, space operations, and Scud-hunting aspects of the war. It also includes a report describing how Desert Storm affected China's view of future warfare, a document that raises questions as to what lessons other nations have drawn from U.S. military engagements in the Middle East and the Balkans.
Collection of Iraqi documents translated and made available by the Conflict Records Research Center about the 1980 to 1988 conflict also known as the First Persian Gulf War.
This collection contains a wide range of Iraqi government files including transcripts of high-level meetings, speeches by Saddam and senior officials, correspondence between ministries, and records of the Presidential Diwan.