Research and Course Guides: Southern Identity: Primary Sources: Newspapers

Newspaper Archives Online

African American Newspapers - The 19th Century - Part 1 (part of Accessible Archives) This link opens in a new window
full text of Freedom's Journal, New York, 1827- Mar. 1829; Colored American, New York, 1837-Mar. 1840; The North Star, Rochester, NY, 1847-July 1849; National Era, Washington, DC, 1847-Dec. 1848
Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers This link opens in a new window
Search & view newspaper pages from 1836-1922 & find information about American newspapers published between 1690-present. Can view newspapers by state.
Reconstruction of Southern States (Pamphlets) This link opens in a new window
open-access collection provides pamphlets that document one of the most politically-contentious and violent periods in American History; 1865-1869, 1877; part of Accessible Archives
Reconstruction, Jim Crow, and the Enforcement of Federal Law in the South, 1871-1884 This link opens in a new window
This collection documents the efforts of district attorneys from southern states to uphold federal laws in the states that fought in the Confederacy or were Border States. It includes correspondence of the attorney general, marshals, judges, convicts, and concerned or aggrieved citizens.

Civil War: A Newspaper Perspective
The New York Herald, Charleston Mercury, & Richmond Enquirer published between November 1, 1860 and April 15, 1865.

HarpWeek This link opens in a new window
Scanned images of the pages of Harper's Weekly, 1857-1912; browse indexes or search for keywords or phrases
New York Times, Historical This link opens in a new window
full-text articles; 1851-2005
Washington Post, Historical This link opens in a new window
Covers 1877-1994
The Times Digital Archive This link opens in a new window
The Times of London, including nearly 8 million articles, advertisements, editorials, etc.

More historical newspaper access

News & Current Issues
by Anne Grant Last Updated Oct 24, 2023 852 views this year
History
by Anne Grant Last Updated Dec 14, 2023 404 views this year

Newspapers: Microfilm

Microfilm and scanner/readers are located on the west side of Cooper Library's 4th (main) floor. Help with using microfilm is available at the Library Services Desk.

Anderson Intelligencer Aug. 14, 1860 - Aug. 1906; Jan. 1914 - Jun 1916

Anderson Independent-Mail Apr. 1929 - present

(Anderson) People's Advocate 1892, 1893, Jan. - Oct. 4, 1897

Camden Chronicle Nov 6, 1891 - Mar 24, 1960

Charleston News & Courier Jan. 1873 - Sep. 30, 1991

Charleston Post & Courier Oct. 1991-- present

Chester Reporter Mar. 7, 1874 - Jun. 27, 1906

(Clemson) Messenger Apr. 1954 - Sep. 1999

(Clemson) Daily Messenger Sep 1999 - present

(Clemson University) Tiger 1907 - present

(Columbia) State Feb. 1891 - present

(Columbia) Palmetto Leader 1925 - 1957

Georgetown Times Jun. 17, 1868 - Dec. 31, 1904

Greenville News 1900 - present

Orangeburg Times-Democrat Aug. 15, 1879 - Dec. 1974

Pickens Sentinel Sep. 7, 1876 - Sep. 28, 1933

Rock Hill Evening Herald Jan. 1880 - Dec. 1974

(Walhalla) Keowee Courier 1849 - 1976

List of Microfilm Newspapers in Clemson Libraries (PDF)

Defining a Primary Source

What is a Primary Source?

"A primary source is a document,
image or artifact ... created
contemporaneously with the
event under discussion."

(Williams, Historian's Toolbox,
2nd ed., p. 56)

Primary sources are evidence from participants in or
eyewitnesses to an event.

Examples:

Diaries, letters, speeches, memoirs/autobiographies, oral interviews, newspaper & magazine articles...
Images: photographs, sound & video recordings, maps...
Artifacts: coins, receipts, schedules, tombstones, furniture, jewelry, DNA evidence...
Public records: birth, death, probate, census records; court cases, official government documents...
Creative works: paintings, movies, statues...

Formats:

Original manuscripts or records
Authoritative transcriptions in printed volumes or digital form
Reproductions--digital, microfilm, facsimile...

Southern Identity