Library of Congress archival shelving. (LC-DIG-ppmsca-38197)

To find primary source materials, you may need the help of local experts. Research the local resources available to you and meet with the most promising to get ideas on topic ideas and available resources.

  • Archivists  Identify the archives in your vicinity that might have material on the topic.
    • Your college archivist
    • Special Collections and Rare Book Collections at your college and nearby colleges
  • Librarians. Identify the libraries in your vicinity that might have materials.
    • Local libraries, with local history collections or archives
    • Local museums
  • Local school teachers and school librarians
  • Civil Rights activists
    • Local chapters of the American Civil Liberties Union

For one of your weekly blog posts, write up who you interviewed, what their role was, and discuss the resources that you learned about and how they can impact your project. This post must be completed before March 14, the midpoint of the semester.

Resources:

Redman, Samuel J. Historical Research in Archives: A Practical Guide (2013) (PDF)

Note, Margot. How to Prepare for an Archives Visit (2017)