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HIST 447 : History of Civil Rights since the Civil War: Primary sources

Prof. Kimberly Sims

What are primary sources?

Primary sources were created during the time period being studied or at a later date by a participant in the events being studied, as in the case of memoirs or autobiographies.  They reflect the individual experience or viewpoint of a participant or observer.  Primary sources enable the researcher to get as close as possible to what actually happened during an historical event or time period. They have not undergone any sort of evaluation or interpretation.

Examples of Primary sources include: Audio/Video recordings, Autobiographies, Correspondence, Diaries, Letters, Maps, Newspaper articles, Pamphlets, Photographs, Speeches, ...

Using Primary Sources - ALA

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