LibGuides: HIS 6203: American Folklife: Primary Sources

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Subjects: Foreign Languages & Literature, Global Studies

Special Collections

Ingram LIbrary's Special Collections has a rich variety of primary sources that you can make use of. Find more info about Special Collections here:

Special Collections at UWG

Primary Resource Databases and Websites

African American Biographical Database (ONLY AVAILABLE ON CAMPUS)
Brings together the biographies of thousands of African Americans, many not to be found in any other reference source. These biographical sketches (including photographs and illustrations) have been assembled from biographical dictionaries and other sources. Initial content is drawn from Chadwyck-Healey's Black Biographical Dictionaries 1790-1950. The collection contains extended narratives of African American activists, business people, former slaves, performing artists, educators, lawyers, physicians, writers, church leaders, homemakers, religious workers, government workers, athletes, farmers, scientists, factory workers, and more - both the famous and the everyday person. ONLY AVAILABLE ON CAMPUS.

A primary source is a document or physical object which was written or created during the time under study. These sources were present during an experience or time period and offer an inside view of a particular event. Some types of primary sources include:

ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS (excerpts or translations acceptable): Diaries, speeches, manuscripts, letters, interviews, news film footage, autobiographies, official records
CREATIVE WORKS: Poetry, drama, novels, music, art
RELICS OR ARTIFACTS: Pottery, furniture, clothing, buildings

--From Princeton's website "What is a Primary Source?"

Alabama Folklife Collection
This collection features a selection of images and audio recordings from the Archive of Alabama Folk Culture (AAFC). The AAFC was established in 2007 in order to house and make available the body of fieldwork gathered by the Alabama Folklife Association, The Alabama Center for Traditional Culture and the Folklife component of The Alabama State Council on the Arts, circa 1979 to the present. The AAFC continues to receive and process donations and collections from these agencies and private citizens throughout Alabama.
AMDocs
Documents for the study of American history
American Folklife Center
American Memory Project
The American Memory Project from the Library of Congress provides "...free and open access through the Internet to written and spoken words, sound recordings, still and moving images, prints, maps, and sheet music that document the American experience."
Ancestry Library Edition
U.S. Census to 1930, Immigration, Social Security, and other Vital Records; U.K. Census Records

ArchiveGrid
A collection of nearly 2,000,000 archival material descriptions, including MARC records from WorldCat and finding aids harvested from the web. Supported by OCLC Research as the basis for experimentation and testing in text mining, data analysis, and discovery system applications and interfaces. Archival collections held by thousands of libraries, museums, historical societies, and archives are represented in ArchiveGrid. Provides access to detailed archival collection descriptions for institutions in the U.S., making information available about historical documents, personal papers, family histories, and other archival materials. Also provides contact information for the institutions where the collections are kept.

Digital Traditions
The Digital Traditions web site was developed to provide access to the Folklife Resource Center at McKissick Museum. For thirty years, deeply rooted traditions like quilting, pottery, basketry, communal foodways, and folk music have been documented through audio, video, and photography.
Documenting the American South
Website from UNC-Chapel Hill, "... provides Internet access to texts, images, and audio files related to southern history, literature, and culture. Currently DocSouth includes sixteen thematic collections of books, diaries, posters, artifacts, letters, oral history interviews, and songs. "
Doris Duke Collection of Indian Oral History
Duke's Digital Collections
Digitized historic photographs, advertisements, texts & more from Duke's unique library collections
Florida Memory Project
Folkstreams
The site includes transcriptions, study and teaching guides, suggested readings, and links to related websites.
Historical Census Information
The National Historical Geographic Information System has summary data for the US Census from 1790 - present.
In the First Person
The index contains approximately 20,500 months of diary entries, 63,000 letter entries, and 17,000 oral history entries.
Institute of Native American studies
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Collection
The collections of the Prints & Photographs Division include photographs, fine and popular prints and drawings, posters, and architectural and engineering drawings. While international in scope, the collections are particularly rich in materials produced in, or documenting the history of, the United States and the lives, interests and achievements of the American people.
Library of Congress's Veteran's History Project
Louisiana Folklife
National Archives list of links re: Indians/Native Americans
Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps for Georgia 1867-1970
Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage: Land and Native American Cultures
Smithsonian Global Sound
Smithsonian Global Sound for Libraries, produced in partnership with Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, is a virtual encyclopedia of the world's musical and aural traditions. Allows you to search by genre
Southeastern Native American Documents 1730-1842
contains approximately 2,000 documents and images relating to the Native American population of the Southeastern United States
Southern Folklife Collections
StoryCorps
Since 2003, StoryCorps has collected and archived more than 40,000 interviews from nearly 80,000 participants
The Human Ecology Collection
Human ecology is an academic discipline that deals with the relationship between humans and their natural, social and created environments. Human ecology investigates how humans and human societies interact with nature and with their environment. The Human Ecology Collection brings together, in digital form, primary and secondary materials relating to human ecology
The New York Public Library's Digital Collections
Digital Collections contains 694,337 items and counting. While that's a small fraction of the New York Public Library's overall holdings, the aim of Digital Collections is to provide context for the materials we have digitized and to inspire people to use and reuse the media and data on offer here to advance knowledge and create new works.

Spanning a wide range of historical eras, geography, and media, NYPL Digital Collections offers drawings, illuminated manuscripts, maps, photographs, posters, prints, rare illustrated books, videos, audio, and more. Encompassing the subject strengths of the vast collections of The Library, these materials represent the applied sciences, fine and decorative arts, history, performing arts, and social sciences.
Witchcraft Collection
Cornell University Library’s Witchcraft Collection is part of the Library’s Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections. It contains more than 3,000 books, manuscripts, and related materials .An online selection of 104 English language books from the Witchcraft Collection is available to search, browse by title, or browse by author.
Women Working, 1800-1930
This collection is comprised of over 650,000 individual pages from more than 3,100 books and trade catalogs, 900 archives and manuscript items, and 1,400 photographs. Women Working, 1800–1930 is a digital exploration of women's impact on the economic life of the United States between 1800 and the Great Depression. Working conditions, workplace regulations, home life, costs of living, commerce, recreation, health and hygiene, and social issues are among the issues documented in this online research collection from Harvard University.

Newspaper Databases (GA, National, International)

America's Historical Newspapers 1690-1922
Hundreds of digitized newspapers published throughout the United States
Atlanta Constitution, 1868-1984 (ProQuest) This link opens in a new window
Offers full page and article images with searchable full text back to the first issue. The collection includes digital reproductions providing access to every page from every available issue. 1868 to 1984.
New York Times (1851 - 2014)
The New York Times (1851-2004) offers full page and article images with searchable full text back to the first issue. The collection includes digital reproductions providing access to every page from every available issue.
Washington Post (1877 - 2001)
The Washington Post (1877-1991) offers full page and article images with searchable full text back to the first issue. The collection includes digital reproductions providing access to every page from every available issue.
African-American Periodicals, 1825-1995
African American Periodicals, 1825-1995 features more than 170 wide-ranging periodicals by and about African Americans

Georgia Newspapers Guide

Georgia Historic Newspapers Archive This link opens in a new window
Digitized historical newspapers from around Georgia. The archive is free and open for public use. 1847 to 1922.

Georgia Historic Newspaper Archive: Macon Telegraph 1826-1908
Georgia Historic Newspaper Archive: Milledgeville Newspapers 1808-1920
Georgia Historic Newspaper Archive: Southern Israelite 1929-1958; 1984-1986
The Southern Israelite Archive includes issues from 1929-1958 and 1984-1986 of the newspaper that served as the voice of the Jewish community in Atlanta during those years
Chronicling America:
Search America's historic newspaper pages from 1836-1922 or use the U.S. Newspaper Directory to find information about American newspapers published between 1690-present.

Newspaper Source
Newspaper Source provides cover-to-cover full text for 35 national (U.S.) and international newspapers, including The Christian Science Monitor, USA Today, The Washington Post, The Washington Times, The Times (London), The Toronto Star, etc.

Atlanta Journal Constitution (older issues)
Coverage Dates: 1990- Update Frequency: Daily The Atlanta Journal Constitution (AJC) through the ProQuest National Newspaper collection provides online access to the AJC from 1990 to the present.

Illustrated London News Historical Archive (1842-2003)
The world's first fully illustrated weekly newspaper, the Illustrated London News Historical Archive includes high-quality color facsimile images that bring to life more than 150 years of social, political and cultural history for scholarly and enthusiast researchers. Areas covered include politics, social history, fashion, theatre, media, literature, advertising and graphic design, as well as genealogy.

Primary Sources--Georgia

African American Funeral Programs from the Augusta-Richmond County Public Library System
Consists of over 1000 funeral programs ranging from 1933-2017 (with the bulk beginning in the 1960s) from the Eula M. Ramsey Johnson Memorial Funeral Program Collection. A majority of the programs are from churches in Augusta, Georgia and the surrounding area. The programs typically contain a photograph of the deceased, an obituary, a list of surviving relatives, and the order of service. The collection provides extensive genealogical information about the deceased, including birth and death dates, maiden names, names of relatives, past residences, and place of burial. The obituaries provide a rich source of local history about African Americans.
Annual Reports of the Mayor of Savannah, Georgia, 1855-1923
Include information on city activities and finances, commercial statistics, health including death and illness statistics, and information on trade, public schools, weather, charitable institutions and city ordinances. The documents also include reports of the City Attorney, the Police Department (including crime statistics), the City Engineer, the Fire Department (including statistics on fires and property losses), and the Board of Trade, among others.

Atlanta History Center Collections
Search Terminus to see what resources resides in the Atlanta History Center!

Auburn Avenue Research Library on African American Culture and History
Collects, preserves and provides access to rare, unique and primary materials concerning people across the African Diaspora, with a concentration on local Atlanta history. Our diverse holdings include personal papers, records of organizations and institutions, photographs, prints, rare books, audio and visual resources, ephemera and subject or thematic materials. Collection strengths: local Civil Rights history, African American education, oral history, African American gay and lesbian history, African American businesses and organizations, and arts and community in Atlanta.
Barnard's Photographic Views of the Sherman Campaign, 1866
The site contains images of the 61 albumen prints found in early American photographer and member of the Matthew Brady studio, George N. Barnard's 1866 Photographic Views of Sherman's Campaign. Subjects of the photographs include Sherman and his generals, Nashville, Chattanooga Valley, Atlanta, and Savannah. Barnard was the official photographer for the United States Army, Chief Engineer's Office, Division of the Mississippi.
Civil Unrest in Camilla, Georgia, 1868 : Reconstruction, Republicanism, and Race
Records of the Freedman's Bureau documenting the 1868 Camilla Massacre. Located at the DeSoto Trail Library and comprised of photostatic copies from the Freedman's Bureau records held by the National Archives of the United States, consists of letters, affidavits, reports and a newspaper clipping relating to a violent episode in Camilla, Georgia, in 1868 involving local republicans, freedmen, and townspeople.
Community Art in Atlanta, 1977-1987: Jim Alexander's Photographs of the Neighborhood Arts Center from the Auburn Avenue Research Library
Jim Alexander's Photographs of the Neighborhood Arts Center from the Auburn Avenue Research Library consists of fifty-five documentary photographs of the Neighborhood Arts Center (1975-1989) that capture significant African American-centered cultural and community events in and around the Atlanta-based organization. This body of images documents a visits to the Center from the legendary artists, Atlanta-area outreach projects, arts festivals and social demonstrations that took place during the 1970s and 1980s. Taken by photographer, community activist, and Neighborhood Arts Center staff member Jim Alexander, these photographs demonstrate the Center's service commitment and its promotion of urban, community arts. 1977 to 1987.
Digital Library of Georgia
A gateway to Georgia's history and culture found in digitized books, manuscripts, photographs, government documents, newspapers, maps, audio, video, and other resources. To search or browse the holdings of the Digital Library of Georgia, visit the DLG homepage at: https://dlg.usg.edu/ A complete listing of digital collections available through the DLG is at: https://dlg.usg.edu/collections
For Our Mutual Benefit: The Athens Woman's Club and Social Reform, 1899-1920
A minute book, covering the years 1912-1920, from the Athens Woman's Club that documents the social, philanthropic and reform activities of the club during the height of the Progressive Era. Chronicles the relationships between the AWC and various other organizations of significance. Helps define the complexity of regional roles and events, with particular regards to the club's delayed participation in the national suffrage movement. The AWC was chartered in 1899 as a literary club dedicated to the educational and cultural development of its members. Over the next two decades, the club gradually directed its efforts to serve the community beyond its membership by embarking upon social reform and civic improvement initiatives. The minute book illuminates this critical transition and the notable work performed by members of the AWC. 1899 to 1920.
Georgia Aerial Photographs
Provides online access to approximately 50,000 black and white aerial photographs and indexes of selected counties from the State of Georgia.
Georgia Department of Archives & History
Maintains a web site of information on its organization, collections, and services. Its mission is to identify, select, preserve, and ensure the accessibility of government and other information constituting Georgia's recorded history, including the official records of Georgia from 1732 to the present. In addition, it collects private manuscripts and photographs which complement existing archival holdings. Links to online publications, finding aids, and other web sites related to Georgia history and genealogy are provided.

Georgia Legislative Documents 1755-

Georgia Official and Statistical Register: "Georgia's Blue Book"
Considered an important reference work for historical research. Covers Georgia's executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government, providing biographical sketches of elected and other state officials. Includes Georgia members of U.S. Congress, federal judges, county officials, and regents of the university system. Contains election returns, provide basic reference data on Georgia counties, and covers Georgia miscellany, such as the state flag, state flower, state song, rosters of Georgia governors, and legal holidays.
Georgia State Fair, Macon, 1886-1960
Consists of 151 black-and-white photographs and 4 advertising fliers, from the Georgia State Fair records held by the Middle Georgia Archives at the Macon-Bibb County Public Libraries. Most of the photographs depict county agricultural exhibits whose function was to promote a variety of farm produce and homemade items. Exhibits from the early 1940s are of interest due to the appearance of slogans supporting the World War II home front effort. Displays for agricultural associations and state government agencies can also be seen in this collection. Other photographs capture fair culture beyond the exhibitions. 1886 to 1960.

Georgia's Virtual Vault
provides virtual access to historic Georgia manuscripts, photographs, maps, and government records housed in the state archives.
High Museum Folk Art Collection
Historic Architecture and Landscapes of Georgia: The Hubert Bond Owens and John Linley Image Collections at the Owens Library
a joint project between the College of Environment and Design, University of Georgia and the Digital Library of Georgia, contains approximately 1500 images of important and representative architectural sites and landscapes in the state with an emphasis on Athens and Middle Georgia. The collections, held at the Owens Library in the College of Environment and Design at the University of Georgia, consist of color slides and black and white photographs taken from the 1940s through the 1980s

Joseph Henry Lumpkin Family Papers
The digitized selections from the Joseph Henry Lumpkin Family Papers consist of letters dated 1850-1861 (the bulk of which are from 1852-1856) to Callie Lumpkin King, wife of Alabama lawyer and plantation owner Porter King and daughter of Joseph Henry Lumpkin. Correspondents include Sallie (Baxter) Bird, wife of Hancock County plantation-owner Edgeworth Bird; King's husband Porter; Thomas Read Rootes Cobb, her brother-in-law; and other Lumpkin family members. The letters touch on family life, local and national politics, marriage, and the social life in Athens, Georgia. Eventually, the site will include images and transcribed text for the Alexander Campbell King Law Library, University of Georgia School of Law's collection of Joseph Henry Lumpkin Family Papers collection on deposit at the Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries.
Robert E. Williams Photographic Collection: African-Americans in the Augusta, Ga. Vicinity (Richmond Co.), circa 1872-1898
Robert E. Williams Photographic Collection: African-Americans in the Augusta, Ga. Vicinity (Richmond Co.) consists of 86 glass plate negatives and positive prints of African-Americans in the Augusta, Richmond County, Georgia area. Robert E. Williams, an African-American photographer, operated a studio, R. Williams and Son, in Augusta, Georgia, from 1888 until around 1908. The photographs depict dwellings and domestic chores, rituals of baptism, harvesting and transporting cotton, vehicles and transportation, and children and family life. Eighty-four of the images are presented online, as two of the negatives are copies
Robert Toombs, Letters to Julia Ann DuBose Toombs, 1850-1867
Robert Toombs, Letters to Julia Ann DuBose Toombs consists of correspondence from Robert Toombs to his wife, Julia Ann DuBose Toombs in Washington, Wilkes County, Georgia from 1850-1867. During 1850-1859 his letters come from Washington, D.C. while he served in the U.S. Senate. During the Civil War, he wrote from Virginia (1862) and Atlanta, Georgia (1864). Following the war, letters are written from Paris (1866-67) while he was in exile. The correspondence generally discusses current events; his land holdings in South Georgia, Alabama, and Texas; people; other soldiers; and his wish to be with his wife and family.
Samuel Hugh Hawkins Diary, January - July 1877
The Samuel Hugh Hawkins Diary, January - July 1877, donated by Georgia State Senator George Hooks to the Lake Blackshear Regional Library System, chronicles Americus, Georgia entrepreneur, lawyer, and banker Samuel Hawkins' financial, agricultural, civic, and religious activities in Sumter County during the final months of Reconstruction.

Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps for Georgia 1867-1970
Southeastern Native American Documents 1730-1842
contains approximately 2,000 documents and images relating to the Native American population of the Southeastern United States
Vanishing Georgia
Nearly 18,000 historic photographs from private collections

War of 1812: Diplomacy on the High Seas
A collection of documents from the National Archives and the U.S. Department of State Library dealing with private armed vessels used during the War of 1812. Documents include correspondence concerning letters of marque for privateers, agreements for the exchange of prisoners of war, passenger lists of vessels sailing from the U.S., and intercepted correspondence. An Archives Unbound database. Coverage: 1814 (with some documents from 1789-1807).
Women's Issues and Their Advocacy Within the White House, 1974-1977
The progression of women’s rights through documents presented to President Ford from The Special Assistant to the President for Women. Meeting minutes, briefing papers, correspondence, talking points, speeches, news clippings, etc. An Archives Unbound database. Coverage: 1974-1977.

Where else can I go to find primary sources?

This libguide has a number of primary source collections that you can search through, but you might be examining a place/time/culture outside of what is included in that list.

A few places to check:

Is there a historical society or a history center related to the area you are researching? Ex: Atlanta History Center, East Tennessee Historical Society
Can you find online collections (usually of digitized photos or maps) or an online catalog of physical collections?
Are you willing to travel? Most of these places are open to the public, and have resources that can be vital to your work.

Finding Magazines

Older magazines are great primary sources but finding them can be tricky. You might have to use both PRINT and ONLINE indexes to be successful.

In PRINT we have Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature.

Reference/Periodicals Area on the Ground floor: AI3 .R48
We have 1900 -
You need to look up year-by-year (yes, this is tedious)
THEN check the library catalog to see if we have the magazine in print for those dates
This is where you'll find when Time, Newsweek, Life, Ladies Home Journal published about a specific topic

The following online indexes and databases are linked from here: http://www.galileo.usg.edu/scholar/westga/subjects/?Welcome

American Periodicals

Contains articles published 1740-1900
Defaults to full text search but you might want to change it to "citation and abstract"

Periodicals Archives Online

Contains articles from the 17th century - 2000
Includes both academic and popular sources
You can only search the article title or journal title -- no full text searching!
A search for midwive* or midwife* yields 100 results, 19 of which are from before 1950