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Early American History

This guide will introduce you to resources you can use when researching United States history.

Primary Sources are often found in Archives

 

Country Granted by the Indians to the Fur Traders, Ohio River Valley 1763, image Courtesy and Copyright The Learned T. Bulman '48 Historic Archives & Museum, Washington & Jefferson College

 

An Archive… (With a Capital A!) “is an organization dedicated to preserving the documentary heritage of a particular group: a city, a province or state, a business, a university, or a community.” - The Society of American Archivists definition

For example, 

•The National Archives and Records Administration in the United States 
•Archives Carnegie Institution for Science
•The Museum of Modern Art New York
•The New York Times online Archive

are all responsible for the preservation and management of archives. 

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special collection

n. “a cohesive collection of noncirculating research materials held together by provenance or by a thematic focus…,

 

Washington and Jefferson College Archive

Physical archival Material can be found in three ways in the college library: 

  1. Archive Reading Room 

Here you are welcome to browse the shelves and admire the art and objects on view. 

Historical College Publications such as the “Pandora” year books, and student Zines such as the “Wag Jag” can be accessed here.

No items may be removed from the Archive Reading Room. 

 

  1. Rare and unique material can be accessed by appointment in the reading room. 

Please see the Special Collections Webpage for an up-to-date listing of the specific subjects covered in our archive.

 

  1. Digitized Archive Material can be access online in our Clark Family Library Digital Archives

This includes the Red & Black, Washington & Jefferson College's student-run newspaper. The digitized issues run from 1909 to 2016.