Digital Collections
Archived Publications & Ephemera
Oral Histories
Census records can provide the building blocks of your research. The first Federal Population Census was taken in 1790, and has been taken every ten years since. Because of a 72-year restriction on access to the Census, the most recent year available is 1950. The 1950 Census was released on April 1, 2022.
The National Archives has the census schedules available from 1790 to 1950, and most have now been digitized by our digitization partners. Family researchers generally find it most helpful to begin with the most current census and work backwards as a strategy for locating people in earlier generations.
The Congressional Research Service (CRS) serves as shared staff to congressional committees and Members of Congress. CRS experts assist at every stage of the legislative process — from the early considerations that precede bill drafting, through committee hearings and floor debate, to the oversight of enacted laws and various agency activities.
The Defense Technical Information Center has served the information needs of the Defense community for more than 70 years. DTIC reports to the Under Secretary of Defense (Research & Engineering).
The Office of the Federal Register (OFR) of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), and the U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) jointly administer the FederalRegister.gov website. We developed this website to make it easier for citizens and communities to understand the regulatory process and to participate in Government decision-making.
The Foreign Relations of the United States (FRUS) series presents the official documentary historical record of major U.S. foreign policy decisions and significant diplomatic activity. Search within the volumes, or browse volume titles by administration.
GovInfo is a service of the United States Government Publishing Office (GPO), which is a Federal agency in the legislative branch. GovInfo provides free public access to official publications from all three branches of the Federal Government.
Founded in 1985 by journalists and scholars to check rising government secrecy, the National Security Archive combines a unique range of functions: investigative journalism center, research institute on international affairs, library and archive of declassified U.S. documents ("the world's largest nongovernmental collection" according to the Los Angeles Times), leading non-profit user of the U.S. Freedom of Information Act, public interest law firm defending and expanding public access to government information, global advocate of open government, and indexer and publisher of former secrets.
Presidential Libraries and Museums promote understanding of the presidency and the American experience. We preserve and provide access to historical materials, support research, and create interactive programs and exhibits that educate and inspire.
The people and activities of the U.S. House of Representatives have inspired numerous publications and millions of pages of records that tell their stories. Browse resources to help conduct research on congressional records, the institution of the House, its committees, and its Speakers. Access bibliographies, lists of standard reference volumes, and finding aids for official House records to discover the history behind the House.
The Vault is our new FOIA Library, containing 6,700 documents and other media that have been scanned from paper into digital copies so you can read them in the comfort of your home or office.
The U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) Monthly Catalog provides citations of U.S. government publications. Covers all types of documents, including Congressional reports, hearings, debates, and judiciary materials. Database has 507,000 records from 1976 to present.
Foremost library on the history of women in America. Its holdings include books, manuscripts, periodicals, photographs, ephemera, oral histories, and audiovisual materials, with particular strength on the 19th and 20th centuries. Some of the material has been reproduced in the History of Women microfilm set.
Started in 1973, the largest and oldest Lesbian archive in the world exists to gather and preserve records of Lesbian lives and activities. Collects and preserves any materials that are relevant to the lives and experiences of Lesbians: books, magazines, journals, news clippings (from establishment, Feminist or Lesbian media), bibliographies, photos, historical information, tapes, films, diaries, oral histories, poetry and prose, biographies, autobiographies, notices of events, posters, graphics, and other memorabilia.
Nonpartisan, nonprofit educational institution dedicated to preserving, displaying, interpreting, and celebrating the historic contributions and experiences of women. Images of artifacts, timeline, links to other sites.
The Smithsonian’s collections include iconic objects that tell the stories of American women, their struggles, and their accomplishments. Explore collection highlights and stories related to women and girls, or search our digital records.
This resource contains a hyperlinked list of National Archives current resources for Women’s histories on The National Archives website. It includes education resources, online exhibitions, research guides, blog posts and podcasts by staff and external writers and links to external websites.
A diverse range of women’s stories can be found throughout the holdings of the Patricia D. Klingenstein Library. Both thematically and chronologically, it provides some of the myriad routes for discovering the history of women. It is not a final survey of the library’s offerings, but rather a living document that will be augmented continuously.
Throughout American history, the intersectionality of gender, class, and race has constructed women's lived experiences. This resource guide highlights the Pennsylvania State Archives' holdings pertaining to women's unique experiences throughout the state's rich history. The guide was created with the hopes of making women's history resources readily accessible to researchers at the Pennsylvania State Archives.
The first women to receive undergraduate degrees from Washington & Jefferson College at the May 29, 1971, Commencement. Pictured from left are Mrs. Amy Martin, Mrs. Suzanne Jamison, Mrs. Peggy Yee, and Mrs. Marian Ream, image Courtesy and Copyright The Learned T. Bulman '48 Historic Archives & Museum, Washington & Jefferson College
Resources for finding W&J Alumni at a glance
Your first port of call for Women's and LGBTQ History can be found in W&J Womens History.pdf
Digitized Archive Material can be access online in our Clark Family Library Digital Archives
This includes: