JOUR 377 - History of American Journalism: Library Research Guide
Primary Sources
For a general introduction to web-based primary sources, see Using Primary Sources on the Web from the University of Washington Library. Other resources related to primary sources are listed on the UA Library's About Finding Primary Resources section of the History Subject Guide.
To locate primary sources about your topic
Newspapers on Microfilm and Newspaper Indexes
Newspapers on Microfilm
The UA Library has many archives of newspapers on microfilm, located on the first floor of the Main Library. The newspaper microfilm are in alphabetical order in the microfilm cabinets. Examples include Arizona Daily Star, Chicago Tribune, Denver Post, Salt Lake Tribune, San Francisco Chronicle, Washington Post. Dates available vary by title.
Newspaper Indexes
Online indexes and full-text access to newspaper archives are limited. There are print indexes available for some newspapers for some years:
Index to Arizona News in the Arizona Daily Star - call# AI21 .A72 Information Commons Reference. Covers 1953-1965 and 1970-1989. An index for 1966-1969 is in a card file in the Information Commons.
Researchers' Guide to Arizona News in the Arizona Republic - call# AI21 .A725 Main. Covers 1966-1967
Christian Science Monitor Index - call# AI21 .C46 Main Reference. Covers 1945-1993
New Orleans Times-Picayune Index - call# AI21 .N4 Main Reference. Covers 1972-1985
San Francisco Chronicle Index - call# AI21 .S3 Main Reference. Covers 1976-2003
Underground Newspaper Collection
Set of anti-establishment and alternative press newspapers from 1963-1985 on microfilm.The newspapers are on Microfilm 3501, and the index to the microfilm (which tells you what newspapers are on the film for what dates) is at Microfilm 3501 Index (the index is a book in a separate aisle from the microfilm reels).
Online Historical Newspapers
Historical Atlanta Constitution
Includes full page and article images with searchable full text back to the first issue of this newspaper. Provides unique historical perspective into the southeastern US of the late 19th-early 20th centuries. 1868-1939
Historical Chicago Defender
Founded in 1905, the Chicago Defender became the most influential black newspaper in the US within its first 10 years. Includes full page and article images with searchable full text back to the first issue of this newspaper. 1905-1975
Historical Chicago Tribune
Includes full page and article images with searchable full text back to the first issue of this major midwestern US newspaper. 1849-1986
Historical Los Angeles Times
Offers full page and article images with searchable full text back to the first issue. 1881-1984
Historical New York Times
Complete online version of the New York Times, including viewing of entire pages as well as specific articles. 1851-current last three years
Historical Washington Post
Includes full page and article images with searchable full text back to the first issue of this major newspaper from the Nation's capital. Provides a unique perspective of US politics and government. 1877-1991
Historical Newspapers (New York Times, LA Times, Atlanta Constitution, Chicago Tribune, Washington Post)
Search these five historical newspapers simultaneously.
Historical Magazines
Full-text of this magazine, 1865-present. News, commentary, and opinion on politics, culture, books, and the arts..
Full-text of this magazine, 1955-present. News, commentary, and opinion on political, economic, social, and cultural issues.
Full-text of this magazine, 1914-present. News, commentary, and opinion on politics, foreign policy and culture.
Readers Guide Retrospective
Comprehensive indexing of the most popular general-interest periodicals published in the United States. The complete database covers the years 1890 through 1982. (Paper copy of Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature available at AI3 .R48 Main Reference.) This database provides citations to magazines. To locate the magazines in the library, look up the Journal Title in the UA Library Catalog. For example, the paper copies of Life magazine from 1936-1972 are at call number
AP2 .L547 in the Main Library.
Other primary sources
AP Photo Archive
Over 400,000 contemporary and selected historical images from the archive of the Associated Press.