Research Guides: HIST 212: The Haitian Revolution (Spring 2024): Important Context about this Database

What is Readex?

Readex began as a Microfilm company that scanned historic newspapers onto plastic film for preservation and distribution.
Most of the newspapers in the early collection were held by The Library of Congress and the American Antiquarian Society.
It has since partnered with numerous historical societies, libraries, and universities to expand the coverage.
- The reason we have so many historic newspaper databases is because each covers materials from different archives.
- Example: Chronicling America has small local newspapers excluded from AHN, but lacks AHN's impressive colonial and early America coverage.

Important note: Readex was meant as a microfilm company, not a database company. Most of the newspapers are scanned from microfilm, or a scan of a scan.

Why this matters: the Optical character recognition (OCR) isn't always great.

What's in AHN?

Our subscription to AHN includes the following modules:

African American Newspapers, 1827-1998 This link opens in a new window
Broad coverage of African American history, culture, and daily life. Newspapers from over 35 states. Coverage: 1827-1998.
Caribbean Newspapers, 1718-1876 This link opens in a new window
Caribbean Newspapers, 1718-1876—the largest online collection of 18th- and 19th-century newspapers published in this region—will provide a comprehensive primary resource for studying the development of Western society and international relations within this important group of islands. This unique resource is essential for researching colonial history, the Atlantic slave trade, Atlantic World research, international commerce, New World slavery and U.S. relations with the region as far back as the early 18th century.
Early American Newspapers Series, 1-5, 1690-1922 This link opens in a new window
Digital archive of over 1000 U.S. historical newspapers published during the past four centuries. Includes titles from all 50 states. Coverage: 1690-1922.

Collections include: African American Newspapers ; Series 1, From Colonies to Nation Early American Newspapers; Series 2, The New Republic ; Series 3, From Farm to City; Series 4, The Rise of Industry ; Series 5, An Emerging World Power
Collections include: African American Newspapers ; Series 1, From Colonies to Nation Early American Newspapers; Series 2, The New Republic ; Series 3, From Farm to City; Series 4, The Rise of Industry ; Series 5, An Emerging World Power

Searching the main America's Historical Newspaper database (Below) will include all 7 modules.

America's Historical Imprints This link opens in a new window
American history, literature, culture, and daily life. Choose this database to search the following as one file: American Broadsides and Ephemera, Series 1, 1760-1900; Early American Imprints, Series I: Evans, 1639-1800; Supplement from the Library Company of Philadelphia (LCP) 1670-1800; Supplement from the American Antiquarian Society (AAS) 1652-1800. Early American Imprints, Series II: Shaw-Shoemaker, 1801-1819; Supplement from the Library Company of Philadelphia (LCP) 1801-1819; Supplement from the American Antiquarian Society (AAS) 1801-1819. Coverage: Varies.