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Research Guides

HSTAA 110: History of American Citizenship: Primary Sources: Newspapers & Magazines

Image: sample newspaper & magazines (LA Times, Essence, Pittsburgh Courier, Life and Seattle Times)  

Pacific Northwest Newspapers

If your family history takes place primarily in the Pacific Northwest then the following digitized newspapers will be helpful in getting the flavor of the times with coverage of local events, issues, and advertisements. Be sure to use a date range to limit your results to those published during the period you are researching.

Additional local newspapers (e.g., Grays Harbor Post) are available on microfilm. To find these papers use the Microforms & Newspapers Collection Database or use this model in UW Libraries Search: town newspapers. For example: bothell newspapers.

Microfilm scanners are available to use in Government Publications, Maps, Microforms & Newspapers (GMM) located on the ground floor of Suzzallo Library.

National Newspapers

For additional digitized newspapers see the E-Newspapers guide as well as the News, Magazines & Media section of the American history research guide.

International Newspapers

For additional digitized newspapers see the E-Newspapers guide as well as the various regional history research guides.

Magazines

In addition to searching digitized versions of magazines, you can also browse our print collection. Many of our print magazines can be found on the 4th floor of Suzzallo Library in the AP 2 call number section.

Newspapers & Magazines as Historical Evidence

Strengths

  • Newspapers focus more on local or national issues and events rather than foreign countries. Magazines tend to be more national in scope -- news magazines (such as Time) and politically oriented magazines (such as The New Republic) cover everything from politics to wars while specialized magazines provide insight into cultural issues and material culture and cover sports, entertainment, fashion and more
  • Commentary, cartoons and letters to the editor provide public opinion information
  • Photographs and other graphics
  • Advertising included in magazines are useful primary sources especially for the study of consumerism, gender roles, material culture, history of technology, and popular culture. Display and classified newspaper advertisements provide Information about local prices, rents, jobs, etc. 
 

Keep in mind

  • Newspapers & magazines usually do not provide in-depth analysis nor do they provide scholarly context for an issue. They really do focus on the who, what, where and when rather than the why of an issue or event.
 

For more information on using newspapers see: Analyzing Newspapers, Newspapers & Learning to Do Historical Research Prowling the Periodicals.
Tags: fall 2023