Primary Sources
Examples of Collections of Primary Sources on Women
1. Herstory.
Publications of women's organizations from the 1960s and 1970s.
Microfilm HQ 1101 .I58 Floor 4.
2. Emma Goldman Papers.
Microfilm HX 843.7 .G65 E43 1990 Floor 4.
Online Guide to the Goldman Papers
Online Primary Sources from the Goldman Papers
3. Mary McLeod Bethune Papers. 1923-1942.
Microfilm E 185.97 .B34 A25 Floor 4.
Online photos and documents from the Bethune Papers
4. Margaret Sanger Papers.
Selected Papers of Margaret Sanger.
HQ 764 .S3 A25 2003 Volumes 1 - 3. Floor 4.
Selected Papers of Margaret Sanger.
Volume 4 Round the World for Birth Control, 1920-1966 - E-book.
Selected documents online at: Margaret Sanger Papers Project.
Newspapers
Newspapers from a specific city may be a very useful source for historical material.
Milner Library subscribes to several newspapers from the local area, the state of Illinois,
the United States and various other countries.
Some newspapers are kept for many years on microfilm.
The microfilm for newspapers is located on Floor 2 in the southeast corner.
Microfilm of newspapers may also be borrowed from other libraries through InterLibrary Loan.
The following are examples of newspapers held in Milner Library.
1. New York Times.
Historical New York Times (Online) (1851-2018)
2. Chicago Tribune Online. 1985 – present.
Historical Chicago Tribune (Online). 1849- 2012.
3. Chicago Defender, 1909 - 2010. (Online).
4. Pantagraph (Bloomington) -- 1853 - present. Microfilm -- Floor 2.
Newspapers.com includes coverage of the Pantagraph for selected years.
5. Newspaper Source.
Database containing indexing for 400 national, state and local papers with full text of many articles.
6. Nexis Uni.
Full text database with U.S. and international newspapers, wire services, transcripts of news broadcasts.
7. Newspapers.com - Illinois Collection.
Full text database of Illinois newspapers from 1836 - 1990s; dates vary with specific newspapers.
Illinois State University Primary Sources.
Illinois State University -- Dr. Jo Ann Rayfield Archives
Vidette -- ISU Student Newspaper
ISU Course Catalogs
Popular Magazines
Popular magazines, such as Time, Newsweek, Good Housekeeping, Ladies Home Journal, etc., may be good sources of advertisements and articles from a specific time period. Most popular magazines are indexed in Readers’ Guide Abstracts. Check this database first to identify articles published on your topic. Note that magazines from earlier years may be in storage or on microfilm.
Autobiographies, Letters, Diaries, Interviews
Material written by a specific individual, such as autobiographies, letters and diaries, or interviews of an individual
may be excellent primary sources. To determine if Milner Library has these materials, search in the
Milner Online Catalog under the name of the person as an author, or under a group of people, or under an event.
Additional Primary Sources
Women and Social Movements in the U.S. 1600-2000.
Database of full text primary and secondary sources on women in social movements.
Black Thought and Culture.
Full text database of books, speeches, essays, articles, and interviews of major African American leaders
from colonial times to the present.
North American Indian Thought and Culture.
Full text database of books, diaries, letters, oral histories, speeches, etc. by and about Native Americans
from 1500 to the present.