LibGuides: GWS 285 / POL 285: Sex, Power, and Politics in the US: Primary Sources

Defining Primary Sources

The term "primary source" is defined differently by various disciplines.

In the humanities, a primary source is a historical document, such as a diary, memoir, a work of art, a news account published when an event was fresh - something from the historical period under examination.

In the sciences, a primary source is a scientist's write-up of their research that includes their methods and results, as opposed to science journalism or a summary of research (a "review article") that has been conducted to provide an overview of research on a given topic.

A New Era For Women Workers, Minority Women and Lesbians, from the Library of Congress

Selected Primary Source Collections

There is no singular good place to search for primary sources. Below is a selected list of collections available to Gustavus students. See also our Guide to Primary Sources.

Black Freedom Struggle in the United States: A Selection of Primary Soures This link opens in a new window
A curated selection of primary sources on African American history and movements against racial injustice. Sources include legislation, legal cases, and documents about leaders and organizations. The collection is organized into six areas: Slavery and the Abolitionist Movement (1790-1860); The Civil War and the Reconstruction Era (1861-1877); Jim Crow Era from 1878 to the Great Depression (1878-1932); The New Deal and World War II (1933-1945); The Civil Rights and Black Power Movements (1946-1975); The Contemporary Era (1976-2000)
Black Life in America: The Experience and Impact of African Americans as Recorded by the News Media (1976-current) This link opens in a new window
This primary source collection covers African American history and experience as recorded by the news media. Sources include a variety of American and global news sources, including current and historical Black publications. NOTE: The library subscribes to Series 3 (1976-current).
Civil Rights and Social Justice This link opens in a new window
An online collection of publications on civil rights in the United States. This collection includes publications from the Commission on Civil Rights, legislative histories on landmark legislation, briefs from relevant U.S. Supreme Court cases, and more. The Civil Rights & Social Justice database is provided to libraries at no cost by HeinOnline.
Federal Surveillance of African Americans, 1920-1984 Digital Archive This link opens in a new window
This collection of FBI files provides source materials for major social movements and key figures in early twentieth century black history and it provides a window into the development of America’s first systematic domestic surveillance programs.

LGBTQIA+ Studies: A Resource Guide (Library of Congress)
This guide provides information on the LGBTQIA+ collections of the Library of Congress. It also includes links to external websites and archives.

New York Times Historical This link opens in a new window
The full text of the New York Times from 1851 to 4 years ago -- covering the entire publishing history of the newspaper back to the first issue. The newspaper text is fully indexed and searchable and the database also contains full-page images, including graphics.
Phyllis Lyon, Del Martin and the Daughters of Bilitis This link opens in a new window
This collection, from the library of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Historical Society in San Francisco, documents the work of Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin, founders in 1955 of the first lesbian rights organization in U.S. history, the Daughters of Bilitis (DOB). They also were instrumental in the formation and growth of other related social movements, including the contemporary women’s rights movement. Covers 1955-1984.
Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin: Beyond the Daughters of Bilitis This link opens in a new window
This collection, from the library of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Historical Society in San Francisco, documents decades of Phyllis Lyon & Del Martin’s work for the LGBT movement and the women’s rights movement in both in San Francisco and nationally. Included are minutes, correspondence, and notes related to their work with the ACLU, the San Francisco Coalition for Human Rights, the Commission on Crime Control and Violence Protection, the Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Sexuality, the San Francisco Commission on the Status of Women, the San Francisco Human Rights Commission, and the National Organization for Women. Covers 1966-1984.
Student Activism This link opens in a new window
Student Activism is a primary source collection of material related to student activism in the 20th and early 21st century. It includes fliers, newsletters, event documentation, and more. When complete, the collection will contain over 75,000 pages of documents.
Women and Social Movements in the United States, 1600-2000 This link opens in a new window
Primary source documents related to the history of women and social movements in the United States between 1600 and 2000.

Supreme Court Sources

The links below provide access to both primary sources (such as oral arguments and the text of opinions) and secondary sources (such as analysis and news) related to the Supreme Court.

Supreme Court Opinions
Includes the text of opinions from 2010 to present. Oral arguments (both audio and text transcripts) are available for recent years.
SCOTUSblog
Focused on the Supreme Court of the United States, SCOTUSblog is an excellent resource for keeping up with the happenings of the court, including schedules, transcripts and analyses of current cases.
Oyez
A website that provides audio versions of arguments before the Supreme Court since it began recording them in 1955. Includes information about the court and its justices as well as current news and commentary.

GWS 285 / POL 285: Sex, Power, and Politics in the US: Primary Sources

About Primary Sources

Defining Primary Sources

Selected Primary Source Collections

Supreme Court Sources