Primary Sources
A primary source is something that was created and/or experienced at the time being studied. They provide a first-hand or eye witness account. Examples of primary sources include: historical documents, an artifact, a diary or journal, speeches, oral histories, photos, newspaper clippings, letters, etc. Reproductions of primary sources (remember, we won't have the originals) can often be found in books and on websites. The resources on this page were all selected because they might be useful for your research about California history.
For additional resources, look at the Primary Source LibGuide.
Primary Sources
- Atomic Heritage FoundationSee the role California Institute of Technology and University of California, Berkeley played in the Atomic Age.
- California Digital Newspaper CollectionThe California Digital Newspaper Collection contains over 1,500,000 pages of significant historical California newspapers published from 1846-present, including the first California newspaper, the Californian, and the first daily California newspaper, the Daily Alta California. It also contains issues of several current California newspapers that are part of a project to preserve and provide access to contemporary papers.
- California Historical SocietyThe California Historical Society maintains three primary online collections: the Online Catalog containing basic descriptive records for manuscripts and photographic collections; books and pamphlets; periodicals, posters, broadsides, maps, and newspapers; and other materials; the Digital Library, containing digitized primary sources such as photographs, maps, and ephemera; and the Online Archive of California, containing detailed guides to manuscript and photography collections; digital images; digitized oral histories.
- California Library Online ResourcesLooking for California history resources but can’t visit the library just yet? We have lots of items for online researchers! Check out our pages on California State symbols and capitals, the Gold Rush and more! If you wish to use our images or other items from our collection in your work, please visit our permission to use page for further instructions. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
- CalisphereA gateway to digital collections from California's great libraries, archives, and museums.
- Chronicling America: America's Historic NewspapersSearch America's historic newspaper pages from 1777-1963.
- Library of Congress Resources for CaliforniaThe Library of Congress is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the de facto national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. And it has these cool digital sources from California.
- Online Archive of CaliforniaThe Online Archive of California (OAC) provides free public access to detailed descriptions of primary resource collections maintained by more than 200 contributing institutions including libraries, special collections, archives, historical societies, and museums throughout California and collections maintained by the 10 University of California (UC) campuses.
- World Digital LibraryThe World Digital Library (WDL) was a project of the U.S. Library of Congress, with the support of UNESCO, and contributions from libraries, archives, museums, educational institutions, and international organizations around the world. The WDL sought to preserve and share some of the world’s most important cultural objects, increasing access to cultural treasures and significant historical documents to enable discovery, scholarship, and use.
- 19th Century U.S. Newspapers This link opens in a new windowFacsimile-image database of American newspapers of the 1800s
What is a Primary Source?
Books
The below are all books or ebooks containing primary sources that we have available at the BC Library.
Desert Exile: The Uprooting of a Japanese American Family by Call Number: D769.8.A6 U25 1982ISBN: 0295958987Publication Date: 1982-04-01Available online and in print.
The Natural World of the California Indians by Call Number: E78 .C15 H433ISBN: 9780520038967Publication Date: 1981-01-22
Dreams to Dust: A Diary of the California Gold Rush, 1849-1850 by Call Number: F593 .P28 1989ISBN: 0803236743Publication Date: 1989-10-01
Major Problems in California History by Call Number: F861.5 .M26 1997ISBN: 0669275883Publication Date: 1996-09-09
A World Transformed: Firsthand Accounts of California Before the Gold Rush by Call Number: F864 .W945 1999ISBN: 1890771139Publication Date: 1998-11-01- Early California costumes, 1769-1847, and Historic Flags of California by Call Number: GT617.C2 M3Publication Date: 1932
