HSTRY 498: Civil Rights & Labor Movements in the Pacific Northwest: Primary: Newspapers & Magazines

Digitized PNW Newspapers

In addition to searching or browsing these digitized newspapers, you may also want to use the Pacific Northwest Regional Newspaper & Periodical Index to identify relevant articles. Keep in mind the online version of the index is partial; the complete index is available as a card catalog in Special Collections. If you are working on a maritime related issue, also check the Maritime Labor in the Pacific Northwest: A Bibliography of Published and Unpublished Sources, 1850 – 2012 for citations to Seattle area newspapers.

Selected PNW Newspapers on Microfilm

To find additional newspapers on microfilm 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.

Non-PNW Digitized Newspapers

For additional publications see: the American History (under News, Magazines & Media), eNewspapers, and Labor History (under "Union Newspapers & Magazines) research guides.

Black Life in America Series III This link opens in a new window
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Independent Voices This link opens in a new window

Magazines

American Periodicals This link opens in a new window
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Business Periodicals Index Retrospective: 1913-1982 This link opens in a new window
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Diversity Collection This link opens in a new window
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Humanities & Social Sciences Index Retrospective This link opens in a new window
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JSTOR This link opens in a new window
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PAIS Index This link opens in a new window
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Readers' Guide Retrospective This link opens in a new window
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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.