Types of primary material used for historical reconstruction.
An exploration of World War II through the letters, diaries, and oral histories of those who experienced it, drawing on collections like American Heritage’s anthology and the University of Nevada’s oral history program.
Drawing on oral histories, personal letters, and diaries, this article reveals how ordinary people experienced the 1947 Partition of India, a cataclysm that displaced millions and left deep scars. It explores the human dimension behind the political headlines.
From the reading rooms of national libraries to the digital databases of today, newspaper archives have long served as windows into the past. This guide explores how historians have used newspapers as primary sources, what they reveal about their times, and the critical care required to read them accurately.
A primary-source driven examination of how American soldiers experienced the Vietnam War through the letters they wrote home, drawing on collections like Dear America and Voices from Vietnam.
Drawing on the methods of the Library of Congress and the National Archives, this article explains how political cartoons can be read as primary sources, revealing the public mood, cultural assumptions, and political opinions of their time.
On December 8, 1941, American newspapers delivered the shocking news of the Pearl Harbor attack. This article explores the front pages, the language of the day, and how a stunned nation learned of its entry into World War II, based on contemporary reports and archival collections.
Political cartoons have been vivid primary sources since the 18th century, offering a window into public moods, cultural assumptions, and attitudes toward events. This article explains how contemporaries read them and how historians decode their symbols, stereotypes, and satire today.
A practical guide to using old photographs as primary sources, drawing on the methods of the National Archives and Library of Congress to show how to observe, reflect, and question archival images.
From the 1876 journal Akhtar to satellite broadcasts and digital networks, this article traces how Iranian exiles have used journalism to challenge the regime for 150 years, drawing on contemporary reports, eyewitness accounts, and primary sources.
The 1966 Annual Review of Operations by the Kuwait Oil Company offers a bilingual snapshot of one of the world’s largest oil producers at the height of the post-war boom. This article explores the report as a primary source, its context, and its enduring value for historians.
