Primary sources are first-hand accounts of an event. They are created by someone who has a direct connection to the event in question. They document viewpoints, events, people, and the culture of the time you are studying.
A single source can be a primary source, a secondary source, or both, depending on the context you use it in.
Examples of primary sources include artworks, autobiographies, diaries, government data, interviews, letters, newspapers, photographs, speeches, survey data, treaties and videos.
Start your search in Swoop Search with a subject or keyword subject, then enter one of the following words (below) as a separate subject, then click on search.
You may also want to try for certain keywords in the title, usually the subtitle, such as "documentary history," "letters," or "papers." You will almost certainly get some false hits, but you can weed through them.
While you can find primary sources in almost any database, the databases in this box have a specific focus on primary sources. For more databases go to Databases by Title on the library homepage or contact your librarian!
*Accessible Archives collection is part of History Commons
Collections include: African American Newspapers, Quarantine and Disease Control in America, and Texas County Histories
Historical newspapers, magazines, books, images, government documents
The African American experience in major urban centers and North Carolina, marked by both adversity and cultural vibrancy
Contains 1,482 authors and over 100,000 pages of letters, diaries, memoirs and accounts of early encounters.
Full-text for 150,000 books published during the 18th Century covering the fields of history, literature, religion, law, fine arts, science and more.
Allows cross-searching of Eighteenth Century Collections Online, Nineteenth Century U.S. Newspapers, and Archives Unbound.
Primary sources documenting the changing representations and lived experiences of gender roles and relations from the nineteenth century to the present.
A full-text collection of books, periodicals, and pamphlets focused on women's history in the world.
Nearly 200 years of Indigenous US and Canadian print journalism from historic pressings to contemporary periodicals.
A source of reporting, information and opinion, covering politics, finance, health, science, culture, the arts, sports, and fashion in the US and abroad, with special emphasis on the New York metropolitan area.
To create your account.
Step 1: On campus or from the virtual desktop navigate to https://nytimesineducation.com/access-nyt/
Step 2: Search for and click the listing for "University of Texas at Tyler"
Step 3: Click Create Account and complete registration fields
Existing New York Times ID
If you have previously registered your email address on The New York Times site, you will click the "Already have an account" "Log in here" link (below the "Create Account" button) in Step 3.
Annual Renewal Required
You will be required to renew your account every year.