LibGuides: History 363: History of Capitalism in the United States: Finding Primary Sources

Magazine Articles

American Periodicals
Provides full-text access to hundreds of magazines published from 1740 to 1900.
Harper's Weekly
Full-text access to Harper's Weekly, very popular and influential magazine, from 1857 to 1912
AAS Historical Periodicals Collection
Scanned American periodicals published between 1684 and 1912 from the American Antiquarian Society collection
Reader's Guide Retrospective
Search for magazine articles from major general-interest periodicals published in the US between 1890-1982

Papers, Correspondence, Diaries and More

Black Freedom Struggle in the 20th Century
Search for primary source materials on the freedom movement from governmental, organizational and personal perspectives. Note: Check the boxes for Black Freedom Struggle modules on the Advanced Search screen.
NAACP Papers
Search the organizational records of the NAACP.
North American Women's Letters and Diaries
Search for primary sources from North American women from colonial times to the 1950
Race Relations in America
Search primary sources related to the Civil Rights Movement, segregation, discrimination, and race theory in America from the Race Relations Department, a think tank based at Fisk University 1943-1970.

North American Immigrant Letters, Diaries, and Oral Histories This link opens in a new window
Search for primary sources from North American immigrants during the time period 1890-1920
The Sixties: Primary Documents and Personal Narratives 1960-1974 This link opens in a new window
Search for primary sources texts, footage and documentaries that explore events from the sixties and early seventies.
Women and Social Movements in the United States, 1600-2000 This link opens in a new window
Search for documents related to the history of women in social movements in the U.S. between 1600 and 2000

Pamphlets, Broadsides, Books, and More

Sabin Americana
Search for primary sources about the Americas published throughout the world from 1500 to 1926

Indigenous Histories and Cultures in North America This link opens in a new window
Manuscripts, artwork and rare printed books dating from the earliest contact with European settlers right up to photographs and newspapers from the mid-twentieth century. Browse through a wide range of rare and original documents from treaties, speeches and diaries, to historic maps and travel journals.

Early American Imprints, Series II
Search for primary sources (American books, pamphlets and broadsides) published in the first nineteen years of the nineteenth century (1801-1819)

Historical Annual Reports This link opens in a new window
Search for corporate annual reports for more than 800 companies from 1884 to the present

American Pamphlets Series I 1820-1922: From the New York Historical Society
Search pamphlets covering topics relevant to the study of race, ethnicity and gender in the 19th and early 20th century American life
Making of America
Search for primary sources related to American social history from the antebellum period through reconstruction

Presidential Papers and Documents

Papers of George Washington
Papers of the Adams Family
Search correspondence and other significant papers of John Adams and family
Papers of James Madison
Papers of Andrew Jackson
Search for primary sources written by and to Andrew Jackson
Papers of Ulysses S. Grant
Search for primary sources written by and to Ulysses S. Grant
Presidential Recordings Digital Edition
Search for primary sources related to the era of Lyndon B. Johnson, the Civil Rights Movement, and the Vietnam War

Finding Primary Sources in the Online Catalog

The Duke University Libraries contain a wealth of primary materials for the researcher in U.S. history. The collections housed in the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library should not be overlooked. The holdings on the American South are particularly strong.

There are also many resources outside of the materials in the Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library. In the collections of the libraries outside of the Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, primary resources take the form of published letters, diaries, and papers. To identify these resources in the online catalog (books and media), look for the subdivisions, correspondence, interviews, sources, diaries and personal narratives. Any of these terms can be used in the keyword search mode; for example, vietnam and personal narratives.