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Michigan State University

MC 281: Immigrants, Minorities & American Pluralism

Dr. Susan Stein-Roggenbuck | Spring 2022

What are primary sources?

Primary sources are materials which provide first-hand evidence of an event, a social movement, or daily life in a particular time and place. Common examples of primary sources are letters, diaries, photographs, and oral history interviews. Depending on your research context, primary sources might also include newspaper articles, data, laws, treaties, or other legal documents.

Using This Guide

The MSU Library has extensive collections, including many kinds of primary sources. This guide suggests several ways to find primary sources relevant to MC 281, both in print and online: