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HIS220: History of Disability (Dr. Sullivan) : Primary Sources

Primary Sources

A primary source is a first-hand record of an event or topic created by a participant in or a witness to that event or topic. Primary sources can be a document, letter, eye-witness account, diary, article, book, recording, statistical data, manuscript, or art object. Primary sources vary by discipline and provide an original source of information about an era or event. Although primary sources can include first-hand accounts that were documented later, such as memoirs or oral histories, primary sources created or written closest to the time of the actual event are considered to be the most useful sources for research purposes. -- From Library of Congress FAQ

Historical Newspapers as Primary Sources

Links to other Digital Resources

Primary Sources in Library Databases

Library databases offer digitized eyewitness accounts, public records, and newspaper articles dating from that time period. 

Select "Primary Source" under Publication Type.

New York Heritage Digital Collections

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