LibGuides: Researching History in Philanthropy: Primary Sources

What is a primary source?

Identifying Primary and Secondary Sources - IUB Libraries
Includes many examples
Primary Source Village - University of Illinois Archives
A graphical guide to different types of primary sources
Citing Primary Sources
A guide in 3 major formats.

Newspaper Databases

Tips and Tricks:

Below is a linked collection of digitized newspapers either that are free, or that you can get free access to through our library or a different local library.

Consider which collections will be useful to your particular topic before trying each database (i.e. don't search Hoosier Chronicles looking for info on the Hull House in Chicago!)
When using digitized newspapers, be aware that their search function is dependent on machine generated text OCR, which has a high error rate. Most newspaper databases were also created from microfilm, not original papers, which means the quality of image is lower. These automatically-generated text results are usually run against a dictionary to try to improve them, which works well, if your words and names (like first names and common last names) are in their dictionaries, but doesn't help if your name is unusual. Try spelling names different ways, especially if you're researching the philanthropic work of someone with a non-Anglo name.
Make good use of the faceted search functions to limit date ranges, this can help you remove a lot of useless results.

Complete List of IUPUI Newspaper Databases
We subscribe to many newspaper databases. Depending on your time period and topic, different ones will be appropriate to search.
Indiana State Library Newspaper Databases
If you need access to more newspapers than our library subscribes to, I recommend visiting the Indiana State Library and using their databases on site. It's about a 15 minute walk from our library, and free to visit.
Chronicling America (Library of Congress)
A large (but not comprehensive) nationwide collection of newspapers from the Library of Congress. It is primarily useful for before the copyright wall (1923).

19th Century Collections Online (Gale) This link opens in a new window
A resource for 19th century studies, includes monographs, newspapers, pamphlets, manuscripts, ephemera, maps, statistics, and more. UL's access includes Archives 1-12.
19th Century U.S. Newspapers (Gale) This link opens in a new window
19th century U.S. newspapers cover-to-cover, providing access to every article, advertisement and illustration. Part of Gale NewsVault where it can be cross-searched with other Gale historical newspaper archives.
African American Newspapers, 1827-1998 (NewsBank) This link opens in a new window
Newspapers from more than 35 states.
Hoosier State Chronicles This link opens in a new window
A project from the Indiana State Library, a large variety of digitized newspapers from around the state. Primarily useful for before the copyright wall (1923).
ProQuest Historical Newspapers (ProQuest) This link opens in a new window
Includes:
Baltimore Afro-American (1893-1988)
Baltimore Sun (1837-1992)
Boston Globe (1872-1986)
Cincinnati Enquirer (1841-2009)
Detroit Free Press (1831-1922)
Indianapolis Star (1903-2004)
New York Times (1851-2014)
New York Tribune/Herald Tribune (1841-1962)

Working with Archives

Finding Free Digitized Material Online

There are now many universities putting together free topical collections of archival material, but it can be tricky to find these small collections. I recommend Googling the specific phrase "[historical topic] digital collections" to find these scattered materials.

For example, the Googling the phrase "settlement house digital collections" found these two nice primary source collections:

Digital Public Library of America is also useful, a unified database of open digitized material across the nation.

Local Resources

The Ruth Lilly Special Collections and Archives have a large variety of organizations' records open to research, both local and national. Highlights include the Indianapolis Foundation, Flanner House, Kiwanis, Junior Achievement, FFA, the Peterson commission, the Filer commission, Independent Sector, and Wheeler Mission. Many of these collections have portions digitized and made available online. Please make an appointment with the archives to view a collection.

Our Annual Reports collection is a great resource when researching the work of a particular foundation. Our collection of foundations' annual reports spans the 20th century, and many volumes represent the only library-held copy in the world. It has has a particular strength in local foundations.

The Indiana Historical Society has records of local figures and organizations including Madame CJ Walker, they have many materials digitized and available online, and their physical archives are about a 15 minute walk from the University Library. Please make an appointment to view a collection.

Primary Source Databases: General

American Civil Liberties Union Papers, 1912-1990 This link opens in a new window
Records of the ACLU on free speech, citizenship, race, discrimination, immigration, labor, radicalism, and related topics. Includes newspaper clippings, court files, telegrams, minutes, and legal case records.
Includes ACLU: Southern Regional Office
Comprised of never-before-digitized materials, American Civil Liberties Union Papers, Part II: Southern Regional Office documents the ACLU’s legal battle to enforce the Civil Rights Act of 1964 in thirteen Southern states.
Archives Unbound (Gale) This link opens in a new window
Topically-focused digital collections of historical documents. Particular strengths include U.S. foreign policy; U.S. civil rights; global affairs and colonial studies; and modern history.
PRO: Philanthropy Resources Online This link opens in a new window
Primary and secondary sources that support teaching and learning about philanthropy and the nonprofit sector.

Primary Source Databases: African American

Black Economic Empowerment: the National Negro Business League (Gale) This link opens in a new window
Primary source documents from the National Negro Business League, an organization founded in 1900 by Booker T. Washington. The League included small business owners, doctors, farmers, craftsmen, and other professionals.
Black Liberation Army and the Program of Armed Struggle, 1970-1980 (Gale) This link opens in a new window
Primary source documents related to the Black Liberation Army (BLA), an underground, black nationalist-Marxist organization that operated from 1970 to 1981.
Black Thought & Culture (Alexander Street Press) This link opens in a new window
Non-fiction published works of leading African Americans, 1700-present.
Liberation Movement in Africa and African America (Gale : Archives Unbound) This link opens in a new window
FBI files on the African Liberation Support Committee and All African People’s Revolutionary Party; providing views on African American support for liberation struggles in Africa, and as political leverage for domestic Black struggles.
Slavery and Anti-Slavery: A Transnational Archive (Gale) This link opens in a new window
The transatlantic history of slavery including books, manuscripts, court records, and serials.

Primary Source Databases: Women and LGBT

Cornell HEARTH (Home Economics Archive)
A great resource for researching women's philanthropy in the progressive era, such as settlement houses.

Archives of Sexuality and Gender This link opens in a new window
Primary sources including: newsletters, manuscripts, government records, organizational papers, correspondence, posters, etc.
Gender: Identity and Social Change (Adam Matthew) This link opens in a new window
Primary sources documenting gender roles and relations 19th century-present. Including: women's suffrage, the feminist movement, the men’s movement, employment, education, the body, the family, and government and politics.
LGBT Thought & Culture This link opens in a new window
Books, articles, and archival materials documenting political, social and cultural movements, 20th century-present.
Women and Social Movements in the United States (1600-2000) (Alexander Street Press) This link opens in a new window
Primary sources and documents of women in social movements in the U.S.

Digital Transgender Archive
"In order to address these significant barriers to the accessibility of trans history, the DTA virtually merges disparate archival collections, digital materials, and independent projects with a single search engine. With rich primary source materials and powerful search tools, the DTA offers a generative point of entry into the expansive world of trans history."

Government Records Databases

Legislative Insight (ProQuest) This link opens in a new window
A great place to find historical bills, if your research topic resulted in legislative action.
Proquest Congressional (Index 1789-present) This link opens in a new window
Access to U.S. Congressional materials including hearings, bills, Congressional Record, compiled legislative histories, statistical datasets, and more.

FamilySearch.org
Free, easy-to-use access to census and other vital records, useful if you are researching a particular philanthropist
Historical Supreme Court Case Reports, 1791-1987
Did your topic involve a lawsuit that made it to Supreme court? "United States Reports is a series of bound case reporters that are the official reports of decisions for the United States Supreme Court dating to the court’s first decision in 1791 and to earlier courts that preceded the Supreme Court in the colonial era. [...] More recent editions of the U.S. Reports from 1987 to the present are available online from the U.S. Supreme Court."