Tag Archives: primary sources

America 250: Finding resources on the American Revolutionary War (Part 3: British and French perspectives)

Posted on by

2026 marks the Semiquincentennial or 250 year anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. You may have seen an increase in discussions about the American Revolutionary War and its impact (on a national and global level). You may be planning to attend one of the many events which are being held to commemorate America250, such as the RAI America 250 events.  

Over this week, we will be releasing brief blogposts aimed at helping researchers find primary sources on the American Revolutionary War, in a variety of different formats, geographic focus and subject areas. It is intended to help those interested in the War, who may already have some general knowledge on the subject, to dig deeper into the different primary sources available and start their own research journey.

This guide is primarily aimed at Oxford students and researchers, and some resources will require subscription access via SSO or access to the print collections across the Bodleian Libraries, but Open Access resources are also included. This is not meant to be a complete guide nor will it be updated with new resources going forward.

This is Part 3: British and French perspectives and the information has been kindly provided by Isabel Holowaty, History Librarian (Research), who provides subject support for British and Western European History.

The American Revolution through British eyes

The American Revolution was profoundly significant in shaping Britain’s modern history. After the initial shock – the loss of its largest mainland colonies and suffering a humiliating military defeat – the events across the Atlantic ultimately led to a redefining of the limits, priorities, and meaning of British power. Within the British political establishment and public sphere, the Revolution intensified debates about representation and executive power, with the British government and British political discourse primarily framing the conflict as an internal constitutional crisis and rebellion.

Sources for the study of the American Revolution through British eyes include parliamentary and government sources, diplomatic papers and correspondence, writings and speeches of individuals, and the public press.

John Eardley Wilmot (1812) by Benjamin West; in the background is West’s “lost” allegorical “Reception of the American Loyalists by Great Britain in the Year 1783.” Wilmott was appointed as a Royal Commissioner to investigate American Loyalist compensation claims made after the war. For more context, see: Jasanoff, Maya. “The Other Side of Revolution: Loyalists in the British Empire.” The William and Mary Quarterly 65, no. 2 (2008): 205–32

GOVERNMENTAL AND DIPLOMATIC SOURCES

THE PUBLIC PRESS

Newspapers are an excellent source to reveal how the American Revolution was understood, debated, and experienced at the time, not just how it unfolded politically or militarily. They provide direct access to contemporary opinion and public debate as published in the press. The press also helps historians trace the circulation of ideas across the Atlantic world. For instance, newspapers frequently reprinted speeches, pamphlets, letters, and reports from Britain, the colonies, and Europe. As such, newspapers are a useful foil to the debates in the political establishment.

Check out our guide to newspaper resources which cover historical national and regional newspapers for Britain & Ireland and France.

Major newspapers

  • The London Gazette: the first official journal of record and the newspaper of the Crown, which presented an official framing of the war and proclamations.
  • The Public Advertiser: one of the most widely read London newspapers which published parliamentary news, war reports, and political letters, including radical critiques.
  • The London Chronicle: a popular, accessible paper with extensive coverage of military events and colonial affairs; Important for gauging middle-class opinion and war weariness.
  • The Morning Chronicle: Often critical of ministerial handling of the war in 1780s and 1790s. From 1789 increasingly sympathetic to opposition Whig views.
  • The Gentleman’s Magazine: Highly influential and circulated monthly periodical which reprinted speeches, pamphlet extracts, letters, and news from America. Useful for understanding how American events were digested by a broad reading public.

Some personal views:

USEFUL READINGS

Kamensky, Jane, and Edward G Gray. The Oxford Handbook of the American Revolution. 1st ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2013.

Conway, Stephen. “From Fellow-Nationals to Foreigners: British Perceptions of the Americans, circa 1739-1783.” The William and Mary Quarterly 59.1 (2002): 65–100.

To find more readings, use the following subject search in SOLO:

“United States — History — Revolution, 1775-1783 — Foreign public opinion, British”

The American Revolution through French eyes

In contrast to Britain, France framed the American Revolution largely as an international struggle and an opportunity to restore strategic balance within Europe, esp. after the Seven Years’ War. The initial diplomatic approach was outwardly neutral combined with some covert encouragement. During the Revolution, France adopted a more overtly critical stance towards Britain and supportive of the American cause, not least for ideological sympathies. Charles Gravier, comte de Vergennes and French foreign minister 1774-1787, was the central figure in shaping French diplomatic policy.

Franklin’s reception at the court of France, 1778. Respectfully dedicated to the people of the United States (186-). Lithograph created by German-American lithographer Anton Hohenstein. Original held in the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

French sources

GOVERNMENTAL AND DIPLOMATIC SOURCES

THE PUBLIC PRESS

Check out our guide to newspaper resources which cover historical national and regional newspapers for France.

Newspapers and Gazettes

  • Gazette de France: official newspaper of the monarchy which carefully framed American events.
  • Mercure de France: one of the most important literary-political journals which published essays, poems, and commentary celebrating American liberty and figures like Franklin.

Journals and Reviews

  • Affiches, annonces et avis divers (via Gallica): regional papers that largely spread enthusiasm for the American cause beyond Paris. The availability of issues for this period is very mixed so you may need to search Gallica in more detail.
  • Journal de Paris: the first daily newspaper in France which covered American events in an accessible, non-specialist tone.

Some personal views:

USEFUL READINGS

Corwin, Edward S. French Policy and the American Alliance of 1778. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1916.

To find more readings, use the following subject search in SOLO:

“United States History Revolution, 1775-1783 Foreign public opinion, French“

For more guidance on finding resources related to American History, contact bethan.davies@bodleian.ox.ac.uk.

For more guidance on finding resources related to British and Western European History, check the online Bodleian guide or contact isabel.holowaty@bodleian.ox.ac.uk or rachel.darcy-brown@bodleian.ox.ac.uk

America 250: Finding resources on the American Revolutionary War (Part 2: archival sources, maps and state histories)

Posted on by

2026 marks the Semiquincentennial or 250 year anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. You may have seen an increase in discussions about the American Revolutionary War and its impact (on a national and global level). You may be planning to attend one of the many events which are being held to commemorate America250, such as the RAI America 250 events.  

Over this week, we will be releasing brief blogposts aimed at helping researchers find primary sources on the American Revolutionary War, in a variety of different formats, geographic focus and subject areas. It is intended to help those interested in the War, who may already have some general knowledge on the subject, to dig deeper into the different primary sources available and start their own research journey.

This guide is primarily aimed at Oxford students and researchers, and some resources will require subscription access via SSO, but Open Access resources are also included. This is not meant to be a complete guide nor will it be updated with new resources going forward.

This is Part 2: archival documents, maps and state histories.

Painting of the original thirteen colonies.
Map of the first thirteen colonies and the years when they first entered the Union. Beside the motto “Join or Die” is a snake segmented into thirteen parts, each labelled with the abbreviation of a state, copied from a colonial block print, originally published by Benjamin Franklin. Painted in 1994 by Allyn Cox. Architect of the Capital

US archival documents– printed and manuscript

This collection is part of the archives of the United Society Partners in Gospel (USPG) or Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts (SPG) related to the activities of the North American branch. The collection includes correspondence and journals from missionaries documenting life during the American Revolution (the B and C series letter books) as well as sermons and responses from the Society. Note: the Weston Library holds the physical collections of the USPG.

The full text of thousands of American periodicals published between 1684 and 1912, digitised from the collections of the American Antiquarian Society. Search full-text, browse by publication date or search by Subject Terms (“American Revolutionary War, 1775-1783”).

This online site contains a range of transcribed primary sources. Although mostly aimed at younger ages, the sources provide a useful glimpse into American military history. Sources can be filtered to the American Revolutionary War.

Digitised images of the pages of American magazines and journals published from colonial days to the dawn of the 20th century. It includes 89 journals published between 1740 and 1800 which offer insights into America’s transition from colonial times to independence. It includes one of the first mass printings of the Declaration of Independence, a letter by George Washington on the crucial Battle of Trenton, and the writings and publications of Benjamin Franklin.

Collection of early printed American imprints (1639-1800). Over 37,000+ imprints embrace every aspect of life in 17th and 18th century America. Includes printed books, pamphlets and broadsides, alongside advertisements, chapbooks, diaries, gazetteers, hymnals, wills and more. Covers the Revolutionary War period – limit your search by date or use terms such as “American Revolutionary War” or “Continental Army.

Maps

Maps provide a useful visual tool to understand the military positions of both sides during the American Revolutionary War, as well as the British, French and American understanding of the country. They were also tools used by both sides to plan their next moves.

The Animated Map Collection helps to bring the story of America’s past to life, while illustrating the important role that these conflicts and battlefields played. Although aimed at younger audiences, this provides useful information about the American Revolutionary War’s battles.

Digitised maps from the collections of the Library of Congress. Includes general mapping of the geography and terrain, as well as military movements and encampments. Maps are sourced from seven different countries, including the United States, Britain and France.

A digital portal that collates digitized maps of North America made between 1750 and 1800 into a single place, sourced from 20 different libraries and archives. Maps can be searched by specific areas, time periods, colonial powers or native tribes, or by map features (such as images of animals).

Histories of the American Revolutionary War by state

Each American state has their own archive and library, which will include digitised collections related to their histories. The National Archives has a webpage which lists all digital state and territorial collections. You might also want to check University collections based in your state of interest.

The below are resources from the original 13 colonies specifically on the American Revolutionary War, or created to mark the Semiquincentennial.

Connecticut

Delaware

Massachusetts

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New York

North Carolina

Pennsylvania

South Carolina

Next time…. finding British and French sources!

For more guidance on finding resources related to American History, contact bethan.davies@bodleian.ox.ac.uk.

America 250: Finding resources on the American Revolutionary War (Part 1)

Posted on by

2026 marks the Semiquincentennial or 250 year anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. You may have seen an increase in discussions about the American Revolutionary War and its impact (on a national and global level). You may be planning to attend one of the many events which are being held to commemorate America250, such as the RAI America 250 events.  

Over this week, we will be releasing brief blogposts aimed at helping researchers find primary sources on the American Revolutionary War, in a variety of different formats, geographic focus and subject areas. It is intended to help those interested in the War, who may already have some general knowledge on the subject, to dig deeper into the different primary sources available and start their own research journey.

This guide is primarily aimed at Oxford students and researchers, and some resources will require subscription access via SSO, but Open Access resources are also included. This is not meant to be a complete guide nor will it be updated with new resources going forward.

This is Part 1: Useful Starting Points, Founding Documents and Founding Fathers.

Some good starting points

This is our Bodleian online guide to everything related to US History, Politics and Culture at Oxford, with new subscriptions and resources regularly updated. This specific page relates to the Colonial and Revolutionary era, and includes a range of different primary sources.

The Library of Congress is the largest library in the world, and includes a range of resources on US and global history. They also produce useful research guides, like the one linked above, which summarise their collections (both digitised and physical), and recommended external resources.

The Smithsonian is the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex. Here you can find a snapshot of the material history of the American Revolutionary War, including portraits, pamphlets and objects.

Part of Society of Cincinnati Historical Society, the collection includes contemporary books, prints, maps and manuscripts from the period. This link is for the digitised collections, but the main website also includes online exhibitions and further information.

Based in Philadelphia, the online pages of the museum includes a catalogue of the key items, online exhibitions, interactive features and wider bibliographies. 

Decorative
Charters of Freedom Hall, National Archives, Washington, D.C. Part of the Photographs in the Carol M. Highsmith Archive, Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division.

Founding Documents and Official Papers

Hosted by the US National Archives, this webpage includes digitisations, transcripts and historic background of three key documents: the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the US Bill of Rights.

Hosted by the Library of Congress, this collection includes 277 documents relating to the work of Congress and the drafting and ratification of the Constitution. Items include extracts of the journals of Congress, resolutions, proclamations, committee reports, treaties, and early printed versions of the United States Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.

This landmark work in historical and legal scholarship draws upon thousands of sources to trace the Constitution’s progress through each of the thirteen states’ conventions.

Founding Fathers

Detailed Guide from the Library of Congress for each American Founder, including further links and bibliographies. The Library of Congress holds and has digitised the papers of several key political figures and presidents, such as Washington, Hamilton, Franklin and Jefferson

Based on the records of the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC). Includes correspondence and other papers of seven key figures from the American Revolutionary era.

Overview provided by the Smithsonian of each signer of the Declaration of Independence, with portraits and further bibliographic information.

Artwork
Declaration of Independence (1819), by John Turnbull.

Next time…. archival sources, maps and state histories!

For more guidance on finding resources related to American History, contact bethan.davies@bodleian.ox.ac.uk.

New! Online Resource: Carter Administration and Foreign Affairs

Posted on by

I am pleased to report that the Vere Harmsworth Library has committed funding to purchase a new database, Carter Administration and Foreign Affairs, which is now available to Bodleian readers.

Black and white photo of President Jimmy Carter stood at Presidential lectern.
[President Jimmy Carter announces new sanctions against Iran in retaliation for taking U.S. hostages], Trikosko, Marion S., 1980 Apr. 7. Print copy held by the Library of Congress.

This online resource includes official documents from the Carter administration related to Foreign Affairs, housed in the Carter Presidential Library. These include presidential correspondence and memorandums with his cabinet, other Executive departments and agencies and other heads of state; telegrams and cables between foreign missions and the State Department; briefing books for international conferences and official reports.

Historical events and topics covered include Middle East Peace and the Camp David Accords; NATO and the Rapid Deployment Force; Human Rights; relations with the People’s Republic of China; Panama Canal Treaty; Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT II); covert intervention in Afghanistan following the Soviet invasion and the Iran Hostage Crisis.

This database continues to build our modern American political history collections, as well as our collections focused on international relations and diplomacy.

You can access this collection here.

Trial: American History 1493-1945 (ended 25th May 2025)

Posted on by

[UPDATE: This trial has now ended]

I am pleased to report that the Vere Harmsworth Library has organised trial access to American History 1493-1945 for Bodleian Readers. This trial runs from the 27th April-25th May, 2025.

This unique collection documents American History from the earliest settlers to the mid-twentieth century. It is sourced from the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the finest archives available for the study of American History.

Main features include:

  • Over 60,000 primary source documents split across two modules, including correspondence, diaries, government documents, business records, books, pamphlets, newspapers, broadsides, photographs, artwork and maps
  • Majority of the collection is unique manuscript
  • Extensive cataloguing to aid search
  • Translations and transcriptions for many manuscripts
  • Secondary resources include chronology, essays, video lectures and interactive features
  • Features from partner organizations Mount Vernon and the Gettysburg Foundation

You can access the American History, 1493-1945 using your Single Sign On here.

Please send any feedback you have regarding this resource to bethan.davies@bodleian.ox.ac.uk.

New! Online Resource: Archives of Sexuality and Gender: LGBTQ History and Culture Since 1940, Part II

Posted on by

Decorative poster from Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives. Full citation: You Are Not Alone! n.d. TS Posters from the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives 1134;1992-077/11 N. Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives. Archives of Sexuality and Gender, Gale Document Number ITJQWI002629288

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am pleased to report that Bodleian readers now have access to Archives of Sexuality and Gender: LGBTQ History and Culture Since 1940, Part II. This database was kindly funded by Bloomsbury Publishing.

The Archives of Sexuality and Gender: LGBTQ History and Culture Since 1940, Part II provides coverage of the development, culture, and society of LGBTQ groups in the latter half of the twentieth century. It provides new perspectives on a diverse community and the wealth of resources available in the archive allow for creating connections amongst disparate materials. Oxford researchers now have access to both Part I and II of the Archives of Sexuality and Gender (see our previous blogpost for more information about Part I).

Materials were selected from the following US archives:

  • ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, University of Southern California, Los Angeles – the world’s largest repository of LGBTQ materials, primarily focused on activities in California
  • GLBT Historical Society, San Francisco, California
  • Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
  • Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
  • Lambda Archives, San Diego, California

Collections of interest to Americanists include:

Alongside the above are materials from Canadian and British based collections, alongside ephemera and publications from Mexico, giving researchers a broader geographic context.

You can access Archives of Sexuality and Gender: LGBTQ History and Culture Since 1940, Part II here, or via the Bodleian Libraries Database A-Z.  Note that you will need to use your Single Sign On to access this resource.

Trials: Black Nationalism and RAM; and Papers of Amiri Baraka (trial ended)

Posted on by

I am pleased to report that the Vere Harmsworth Library has organised trial access to Black Nationalism and the Revolutionary Action Movement and Papers of Amiri Baraka for Bodleian Readers. The trial ran until 18th February 2024 and is now finished.

Black Nationalism and the Revolutionary Action Movement: The Papers of Muhammad Ahmad (Max Stanford)

The Revolutionary Action Movement (RAM) came into existence as a result of a year of organizing for student rights and involvement in the civil rights movement among a collective of undergraduate students at Central State College (now University) in late May to early June of 1962.

Originally focused in Philadelphia, RAM, engaged in voter registration/education drives, organized community support for the economic boycotts of the Philadelphia “400” ministers led by Rev. Leon Sullivan and held free African/African-American history classes at its office. RAM participated in support demonstrations of the struggles then being waged in the South to end racial segregation. It was also active in coalitions to eliminate police brutality against the African-American community.

RAM became a national organisation in 1964, organising African American students, raising the demand for Black studies and campaigning for economic, social and political equality. It also sent organisers into Southern states. RAM was the first African-American organization to denounce the US government’s war of aggression against the people of Vietnam and support the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam (NLF). RAM was dissolved in 1968, following pressure from US government intelligence agencies (most noticeably the FBI) and local police forces.

This collection of RAM records reproduces the writings and statements of the RAM and its leaders. It also covers organizations that evolved from or were influenced by RAM and persons that had close ties to RAM. The most prominent organization that evolved from RAM was the African People’s Party. Organizations which worked with RAM included the NAACP, SNCC and Deacons of Defense. Organizations influenced by RAM include the Black Panther Party, League of Revolutionary Black Workers, Youth Organization for Black Unity, African Liberation Support Committee, and the Republic of New Africa. Individuals associated with RAM and documented in this collection include Robert F. Williams, Malcolm X, Amiri Baraka, General Gordon Baker Jr., Yuri Kochiyama, Donald Freeman, James and Grace Lee Boggs, Herman Ferguson, Askia Muhammad Toure (Rolland Snellings), and Kwame Ture (Stokely Carmichael).

You can access Black Nationalism and Revolutionary Action Movement using your Single Sign On here.

Papers of Amiri Baraka, Poet Laureate of the Black Power Movement

The collection consists of materials from the years 1913 through 1998 that document African American author and activist Amiri Baraka and were gathered by Dr. Komozi Woodard in the course of his research. The extensive documentation includes poetry, organizational records, print publications, articles, plays, speeches, personal correspondence, oral histories, as well as some personal records. The materials cover Baraka’s involvement in the politics in Newark, N.J. and in Black Power movement organizations such as the Congress of African People, the National Black Conference movement, the Black Women’s United Front. Later materials document Baraka’s increasing involvement in Marxism.

The collection has been organised into 18 series,

  • Series I: Black Arts Movement, 1961-1998
  • Series II: Black Nationalism,, 1964-1977
  • Series III: Correspondence, 1967-1973
  • Series IV: Newark (New Jersey), 1913-1980
  • Series V: Congress of African People, 1960-1976 – Organisation founded by Baraka in 1970 to advance his own vision of African cultural nationalism.
  • Series VI: National Black Conferences and National Black Assembly, 1968-1975 –Includes the 1972 Convention in Gary, Indiana, where delegates adopted the National Black Political Agenda, also known as the Gary declaration and formed the National Black Assembly (NBA).
  • Series VII: Black Women’s United Front, 1975-1976 -Formed  in 1974 by Amina Baraka (Sylvia Jones), the wife of Amiri Baraka.
  • Series VIII: Student Organization for Black Unity, 1971
  • Series IX: African Liberation Support Committee, 1973-1976
  • Series X: Revolutionary Communist League, 1974-1982 – founded by Bakara when CAP disintegrated in conflict, and reflects Baraka’s move away from nationalism to a Marxist position.
  • Series XI: African Socialism, 1973
  • Series XII: Black Marxists, 1969-1980–  includes materials on black Marxist contemporaries of Baraka, and older black Marxists such as Harry Haywood, C.L.R. James, and Odis Hyde. The series also includes files on the All African Revolutionary Party, the Black Workers Congress, and the Progressive Labor Party.
  • Series XIII: National Black United Front, 1979-1981
  • Series XIV: Miscellaneous Materials, 1978-1988
  • Series XV: Serial Publications, 1968-1984
  • Series XVI: Oral Histories, 1984-1986 –  transcripts from sixteen interviews conducted by Komozi Woodard and his assistants as part of an oral history project entitled, “The Making of Black NewArk: An Oral History of the Impact of the Freedom Movement on Newark Politics.” Most of the people interviewed were primarily local Newark activists, although there are also interviews with Baraka, Maulana Ron Karenga, and scholar John Henrik Clarke. This series of oral histories is one of the most unique and valuable parts of this collection.
  • Series XVII: Komozi Woodard’s Office Files, 1956-1986

You can access the Papers of Amari Baraka using your Single Sign On here.

Please send any feedback you have regarding these resources to bethan.davies@bodleian.ox.ac.uk.

New: Women’s Studies Archive: Issues and Identities

Posted on by

[Partially re-blogged from the History Faculty Library blog]

As we continue to grow our eresources collections on women’s history, we are pleased to announce that Oxford researchers now have access to Women’s Studies Archive: Issues and Identities.

Home page of the resource showing a search box and an image of a line of suffragettes holding a poster which reads "Mr Presidents, how long must women wait for liberty".

National Woman’s Party members picket outside the White House in 1917 with the message, “Mr. President, How long must women wait for Liberty” Source: Women of Protest: Photographs from the Records of the National Woman’s Party, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 12 © Gale Cengage

This collection traces the path of women’s issues in the 19th and 20th centuries, drawing on primary sources from manuscripts, newspapers, periodicals, and more. It captures the foundation of women’s movements, struggles and triumphs, and provides researchers with valuable insights. It focusses on the social, political, and professional achievements of women, the pioneers of women’s movements, and is useful to understand the issues that have affected women and the many contributions they have made to society.

It is, however, more generally also a useful resource to research WWI, WWII, social and economic conditions, and world events in the 20th century, as described and seen from women’s perspectives and revealed in periodicals, correspondence and papers.

Individual source collections of particular interest to US historians are:

  • Periodicals and newsletters from the Herstory Collection, tracing the women’s rights movement in the US and abroad; alongside primary source collections focused on women’s health/mental health and the law.
  • Manuscript records of key women involved in political movements, missionary work or American pioneer activities.
  • Records of the Committee of Fifteen (1900-1901), a private group based in New York who collected evidence of “vice” – prostitution and gambling- to spur local authorities into action and promote anti-vice legislation.
  • Records of the Women’s Trade Union League (WTUL) and its founders.
  • Records of political anti-war movements, such as the Woman’s Peace Party (1914-1920), the Women’s Peace Union (1921-1940) and the United States section of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) (1919-1959).
  • Files from two key grassroots feminist organisations based in Boston and San Francisco, which were part of the second-wave feminist movement.
  • Records from the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, including records from it’s predecessors (American Birth Control League and the Birth Control Clinical Research Bureau). Documents include minutes of meetings, conferences, subject files, correspondence and personal papers of key founders.

You can search across the above collections and other Gale databases via Gale Primary Sources. Please note that you will need to use your Single Sign On to access these resources.

New Databases from Archives Unbound!

Posted on by

I am pleased to report that the VHL has committed funding towards four new databases from the Archives Unbound collections from Gale.

These four collections are now available for all Bodleian readers to use, and can be found in SOLO or our Database A-Z. You can find out more about each collection below. Their topics range from the American Confederacy, religion, politics and African American movements in 1930s/40s America.

You can search across all the above databases via Gale Primary Sources. Please note that you will need to use your Single Sign On to access these resources.

Confederate Newspapers: A Collection from Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia and Alabama

This collection is a mixture of issues and papers from Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, and Alabama ranging from 1861-1865. These newspapers “recorded the real and true history of public opinion during the war. In their columns is to be found the only really correct and indicative ‘map of busy life, its fluctuations and its vast concerns’ in the South, during her days of darkness and of trial.” The newspapers are text-searchable, and include advertisements. Topics include everyday life in the Confederacy, as well as discussions of the Civil War and Slavery.

You can access this database directly here.

Election of 1948

This collection provides documents and the perspectives of the four base camps from the 1948 United States presidential election: Democrat incumbent President and eventual victor Harry S. Truman (1884–1972; U.S. President, 1945–1953), Republican and New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey (1902–1971), Progressive and former Vice President Henry A. Wallace (1888–1965) and Dixiecrat and South Carolina Governor J. Strom Thurmond (1902–2003). Sources include Papers of Harry S Truman, Thomas E. Dewey Papers, Papers of Americans for Democratic Action as well as selections from several southern newspapers. These sources show the political landscape of the United States post-WWII, and the growing tensions within the country.

You can access this database directly here.

Franklin D. Roosevelt and Race Relations, 1933-1945

This new series contains a collection of essential materials for the study of the early development of the Civil Rights Movement-concerned with the issues of Lynching, Segregation, Race riots, and Employment discrimination. FDR’s record on civil rights has been the subject of much controversy. This new collection from FDR’s Official File provides insight into his political style and presents an instructive example of how he balanced moral preference with political realities. Topics also include the migration of African Americans to northern states, the role of Eleanor Roosevelt in championing equal rights and racial justice, and reports on key individuals and organisations, such as the NAACP.

You can access this database directly here.

Global Missions and Theology

This collection documents the broad range of Nineteenth Century religious missionary activities, practices and thought in the United States by reproducing pivotal personal narratives, organizational records, and biographies of the essential leaders, simple missionaries, and churches. This collection includes materials on missionary activities among Native Americans and African Americans, both slaves and freedmen. In addition, it highlights activities in far-flung regions and countries, such as Africa, Fiji and Sandwich Islands, India, China, Southeast Asia, Japan, and Hawaii.

You can access this database directly here.

 

Trial Access: Race Relations in America and Everyday Life and Women in America (Trial Ended)

Posted on by

[Update: These trials have now ended. If you have any feedback you wish to give regarding these databases, please contact Bethan Davies, VHL Librarian – 2nd March 2023]

I am pleased to announce that the VHL has organised trials of two databases; Race Relations in America and Everyday Life and Women in America, 1800-1920.

The trials for both databases last until the 1st March 2023 – please plan your use of these databases accordingly, and pass any feedback that you have to bethan.davies@bodleian.ox.ac.uk.

Race Relations in America title. Image of a group of African American children.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Race Relations in America

Based at Fisk University from 1943-1970, the Race Relations Department and its annual Institute were set up by the American Missionary Association to investigate problem areas in race relations and develop methods for educating communities and preventing conflict. Documenting three pivotal decades in the fight for civil rights, this resource showcases the speeches, reports, surveys and analyses produced by the Department’s staff and Institute participants.

Key themes covered include:

·         Desegregation of schools, industries and public transport – survey material documents the attitudes of the community towards prospective desegregation, as well as analysing the results. The progress of legislation and legal cases can also be explored within the collection, alongside statistical data used in key Supreme Court Cases.

·         Migration of African Americans from the rural South to urban centers, which had a significant impact on American industry and the labour movement, as well as domestic issues such as housing, overcrowding and poverty.

·         The role of the Church in the Civil Rights Movement and in African American communities, from helping to fund organizations like the Race Relations Institute, to the part played in encouraging integration or segregation among their congregations. Other religious and spiritual groups are also covered.

·         Race riots and other racial tensions, which the Race Relations Department worked to diffuse or prevent by aiding communities to identify and address their problems. Alongside surveys created by field workers are reports on specific events, with testimonies from individuals involved in events such as police brutality.

·         Activities of the Civil Rights Movement, including protest marches, sit-in demonstrations, student movements, and legal cases. Reports and correspondence are kept on key organisations, as well as the activities of specific hate groups.

·         Speeches and reports by key figures of the time, including Thurgood Marshall and Rosa Parks, alongside sociologists, activists, psychologists, teachers, ministers, students and housewives.

Alongside this are contextual essays, thematic guides, audio recordings and video interviews, interactive maps of survey locations and data on attendees of Race Relations Institute.

Title Everyday life and women in America. Illustration of a family around a dining table. A text box reads "Discover the Collection: Explore documents from the Sallie Bingham Centre for Women's History and Culture, Duke University and the New York Public Library.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Everyday Life and Women in America, 1800-1920

Everyday Life & Women in America comprises thousands of fully searchable images of monographs, pamphlets, periodicals and broadsides addressing 19th and early 20th century political, social and gender issues, religion, race, education, employment, marriage, sexuality, home and family life, health, and pastimes. The collection is especially rich in conduct of life and domestic management literature, offering vivid insights into the daily lives of women and men, as well as emphasizing contrasts in regional, urban and rural cultures.

Key themed areas within the collection are:

·         An extensive number of periodicals, with either complete or near complete runs, covering both national and local levels. Titles include society periodicals like Town Topics and general household magazines such as Household News. Periodicals focused on religious, political and social causes are included (like the anarchist Lucifer, The Light Bearer, which later became the American Journal of Eugenics), alongside official publications of clubs, organisations and educational institutions. Topics also cover national events and topics, such as the American Civil War, suffrage movements and race.

·         Documents which refer to, and were aimed for, African Americans, Native Americans and Jewish women. There are also publications aimed at and for white supremacist movements (such as Installation ceremonies; Women of the Ku Klux Klan).

·         A broad collection of popular fiction series and sensational literature.

·         Guidance books, etiquette manuals and advisory literature on the expected behaviour of women and their conduct, marriages, motherhood and house roles.

·         Works and official reports on the role of women in education and the workplace.

·         Rare cookbooks, medical guidance works and collections of home remedies.

·         Fashion advertisements and periodicals, as well as works on the “ideal form of Beauty”.

Alongside this are contextual essays, thematic guides, an interactive chronology of events throughout 1800-1920, and subject search directories.