Research Guides: HIST 181: African History to 1800 (Fall 2024): Primary Sources

Tips

Language has changed over the centuries, and it is often difficult to speak like - and think like - our 17th century ancestors.

Words like college, race, gender, nation have changed in the recent century.
When looking at Primary Source, use the country name used during that time period.
Most primary source databases will have "thematic" filters to get you started. Before keyword searching, start there. See what curated documents come up. From those documents, see what terminology is being used by contemporaries.
Begin with basic searches and do not be too complicated. DO NOT USE TOO MANY TERMS AT ONCE
Be sure to use period-specific language.
Do NOT search a bunch of terms. This will give more, not less, false its.
Pick keywords carefully -- remember that words and their meaning change over time
Use the database limiting tools (publication date, place of publication, etc) to limit results. Do this instead of adding more search terms.
Use boolean (and or not) to make the best searches.

PRIMARY SOURCES IN THE CATALOG

Use these as subject terms

example:

"personal narratives" AND egypt

Aluka-African Cultural Heritage Sites and Landscapes This link opens in a new window
Images, documents, and 3D models documenting heritage sites throughout Africa. Includes photographs, GIS data, site plans, excavation reports, traveler's accounts, maps, books, recordings, journal articles, etc. Coverage: 18th century-present.
Slave Trade in the Atlantic World This link opens in a new window
Slave Trade in the Atlantic World charts the inception of slavery in Africa and its rise as perpetuated on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, placing particular emphasis on the Caribbean, Latin America, and United States. This collection was developed by an international editorial board with scholars specializing in North American, European, African, and Latin American/Caribbean aspects of the slave trade. Includes customs records, court cases, shipping records, manuscripts, personal papers, letters, trade records, and other materials.