LibGuides: English: Primary Sources

Newspapers

At GFU, you have full access (web and app) to the New York Times and Wall Street Journal. Other current and historical newspapers have varied access through databases subscriptions. For detailed information, see our specific research guide on newspapers:

Newspapers Research Guide

American Antiquarian Society Databases

As part of our EBSCO databases, we have access to the American Antiquarian Society Historical Periodicals Collection. There are dozens of specific databases, but you can search more than one at a time by clicking 'Choose Databases' above the EBSCO search bar and selecting the relevant options. Some of your best bets include:

American Literary Periodicals, 1782-1834 This link opens in a new window
Periodicals rich in literature and literary criticism. Includes works that largely contributed to establishing a distinction between American and European literary movements.
American Literary Periodicals, 1835-1858 This link opens in a new window
Rich in literature and literary criticisms. Some examples of 19th century writers cited in this periodical include: James Fenimore Cooper and Edgar Allen Poe.
American Literary Periodicals, 1859-1891 This link opens in a new window
19th century American literature including various authors such as: Mark Twain and Walt Whitman.
Cultural Periodicals from the Southern U.S., 1797-1877 This link opens in a new window
Includes journals addressing cultural dilemmas/concerns in the South during mostly the 19th century.
Drama, Humor, and Fine Arts Periodicals, 1764-1877 This link opens in a new window
Includes journals relevant to role of arts in American culture during the late 18th century and much of 19th century. Some examples of different forms of art covered in these journals include: architecture, comics, and theater.
Fireside Companions and Family Literature Periodicals, 1805-1877 This link opens in a new window
Includes collection of literature focused on families, raising children, marriage, and morality in 19th century America.
Literary Periodicals of New England, 1789-1878 This link opens in a new window
Includes periodicals published in smaller, less well-known or common towns in Northeast New England during the late 18th and much of the 19th century.
Periodicals of the British Empire and Its Colonies, 1702-1879 This link opens in a new window
Includes periodicals addressing the development of both the colonies relationship with Europe, as well as the development of Europe's identity itself during the 18th and 19th century. British Empire literature is very prevalent in this database.
Story Papers, Dimes and Dollar Periodicals, 1828-1877 This link opens in a new window
Includes periodicals marking the development of print during 19th century. More alternative/underappreciated works are represented in this database, opposed to larger literary names during this time period. Part of EBSCO's "American Antiquarian Society Historical Periodicals Collection."

Primary Sources & Historical Collections

Gale Literature LitFinder This link opens in a new window
Provides access to literary works and authors throughout history. Includes more than 150,000 full-text poems and 800,000+ poetry citations, as well as short stories, speeches, and plays. Also includes biographies, images, and more.
Loeb Classical Library This link opens in a new window
Virtual library of 500+ volumes of Greek and Latin literature.
Past Masters: Full Text Humanities This link opens in a new window

Digital Public Library of America (DPLA)
DPLA connects people to the riches held within America’s libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural heritage institutions. All of the materials found through DPLA—photographs, books, maps, news footage, oral histories, personal letters, museum objects, artwork, government documents, and so much more—are free and immediately available in digital format. The cultural institutions participating in DPLA represent the richness and diversity of America itself, from the smallest local history museum to our nation’s largest cultural institutions.
Modernist Journals Project
The Modernist Journals Project digitizes English-language literary magazines from the 1890s to the 1920s. They also offer essays and other supporting materials from the period.
Independent Voices
Independent Voices is an open access digital collection of alternative press newspapers, magazines and journals, drawn from the special collections of participating libraries. These periodicals were produced by feminists, dissident GIs, campus radicals, Native Americans, anti-war activists, Black Power advocates, Hispanics, LGBT activists, the extreme right-wing press and alternative literary magazines during the latter half of the 20th century.
Archives West
Archives West provides access to descriptions of primary sources in the western United States, including correspondence, diaries or photographs. Digital reproductions of the materials are available in some cases.

Making of America

Making of America was a partnership between Cornell University and the University of Michigan to develop a thematically-related digital library documenting American social history from the antebellum period through reconstruction.

These collections are now fully searchable via HathiTrust.

HathiTrust
HathiTrust is a partnership of academic & research institutions, offering a collection of millions of titles digitized from libraries around the world.

Original MOA links here: