LibGuides: GWS 248 / PHI 248: Gender, Knowledge &amp; Reality: Primary Sources

Overview

The Library provides access to a number of primary sources. Browse the categories and options below. You can also consult our Guide to Primary Sources for even more information.

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

Primary? Secondary?

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In the humanities, a primary source is a historical document, such as a diary, memoir, a work of art, a news account published when an event was fresh - something from the historical period under examination.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 secondary source is one that has already been analyzed by someone else. There are also tertiary sources, such as a textbook or encyclopedia, that summarizes knowledge in general terms.

Primary sources help a researcher get as close as possible to the subject under examination. They can point your reader to the raw materials of your ideas and provide an opportunity for you to do your own, original analysis. For more about primary sources, check out our guide to primary sources available in our library.

Women and Gender Primary Resources

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.
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.

Additional Social Justice and Civil Rights Primary Sources

American Indian Movement and Native American Radicalism This link opens in a new window
These FBI files provide detailed information on the evolution of AIM as an organization of social protest and the development of Native American radicalism. Covers 1968-1979.
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.

Civil Rights Digital Library
This initiative promotes an enhanced understanding of the Civil Rights Movement through its three principal components: 1) a digital video archive of historical news film, 2) a civil rights portal providing a virtual library on the Movement by connecting related digital collections on a national scale, and 3) a learning objects component delivering secondary Web-based resources - such as contextual stories, encyclopedia articles, lesson plans, and activities.

African American Historical Serials Collection This link opens in a new window
An archive of periodicals that document the history of African American religious life and culture between 1829 and 1922. It includes newspapers and magazines, plus reports and annuals from African American religious organizations, including churches and social service agencies.
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.
Slavery and Anti-Slavery Part 1 : Debates over Slavery and Abolition This link opens in a new window
Includes collections from the United States and Europe on the worldwide movement for the abolition of slavery in the eighteenth and nineteenth century. Contains 1.5 million cross-searchable pages, including over 7,000 books, 79 serials, 16 manuscript collections and 377 Supreme Court records and briefs.
Slavery in America and the World: History, Culture & Law This link opens in a new window
The collection covers state and federal statutes, judicial cases, and pamphlets and books about slavery.
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.