What is a primary source?
A primary source is a document, image, artifact, or dataset that provides first-hand testimony or direct evidence concerning the object of research.
Why should I use primary sources?
You should use this type of source to provide evidence for your thesis or the basis of your interpretation on a topic.
What are some examples of primary sources?
Primary sources may include, but are not limited to, artwork, correspondence, diaries, interviews, literary texts, material artifacts, newspapers, speeches, statistics, and videos.
Note that the collections below do not necessarily contain all art related material in the Hay. Please consult your librarian or a curator for more information.
The databases below contain a great deal of digitized historical information in many formats. Not everything will be art-related, but there is some material in all of them that may be of interest to students of the history of art and architecture. Most also include image collections.
Offers resources dating from the earliest contact between Native Americans and European settlers up to the civil rights movement of the 20th century. Formerly known as "American Indian Histories and Cultures."
The wide range of material included in American Indian Histories and Cultures presents a unique insight into interactions between American Indians and Europeans from their earliest contact, continuing through the turbulence of the American Civil War, the on-going repercussions of government legislation, right up to the civil rights movement of the mid- to late-twentieth century. This resource contains material from the Newberry Librarys extensive Edward E. Ayer Collection; one of the strongest archival collections on American Indian history in the world.
The MARG Magazine is published till today and appears four times a year. It began in 1946, and is a loose encyclopaedia of the arts of India and related civilizations.

Anonymous French Engraver. A Dance. ca. 1828. Luna Collection.
Godey's Lady's Book: Important 19th century fashion magazine with historical illustrations. To find images, use the Advanced Search screen and limit to illustrations. The various incarnations of this magazine are accessible online through the American Periodicals Series. Note: many of the original print magazines are available in the John Hay Library collections.
Collection about 19th and early 20th century photography, including images, key journals, copyright registers, manuals and catalogs.
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