LibGuides: Using & Analyzing Primary Sources: Home

WHAT IS A PRIMARY SOURCE?

Primary sources are documents, images or artifacts that provide firsthand testimony or direct evidence concerning an historical topic being researched. Primary sources are original documents created or experienced at the time the historical event was occurring.

RACISM - SOME PRIMARY SOURCES

Facing HIstory & Ourselves: Reconstruction Era Political Cartoons
PBS American Experience: Thomas Nast's Political Cartoons (WARNING: graphic language; some graphic images)
WARNING: graphic language (use of racist term) and some graphic images.

1920's Political Cartoons about the KKK
Warning: some graphic images

Library of Congress: Political Cartoons (some dealing with race or having racist caricatures)
Library of Congress: More Political Cartoons (some dealing with race or having racist caricatures)
California-Specific Racist Editiorial Cartoons - 19th Century (WARNING: racist term used)
7 cartoons depicting racist stereotypes from1800s CA. NOTE: use of a racist term
MA Historical Society: Cartoon: "The South's Battalion of Death"

PRIMARY SOURCE ANALYSIS TOOLS

Primary Source Analysis Tool - USE THIS
You can use this Google doc, based on the Library of Congress's original interactive tool, to dig deeper into an analysis of a primary source. This one is specifically for political cartoons. If you choose a different primary source, adapt the questions to work for that type of item (such as a text or photo).
Use the questions to guide you - if you come up with your own questions or reflections, use them!
To write on the doc, make your own copy of this one.
National Archives Political Cartoon Primary Source Analysis Sheet
This is also a very good guide for analyzing a political cartoon primary source.To write on the doc, make your own copy of it.
National Archives Document Analysis Worksheets
the 6 C's of Primary Source Analysis

Library of Congress Primary Source Analysis Tool