A&M-SA Research Guides: Asian American Studies Research Guide: Primary Sources

Digital Primary Source Collections

Below are links to various digital collections that contain a variety of primary sources such as images, literature, oral histories,government documents, newspapers and other historical documents. This is just a sample of what is available to researchers.

Japanese American National Museum’s Collections Online
Japanese American National Museum's Collections Online features selected highlights from the permanent collection of over 60,000 unique artifacts, documents, and photographs.
Veteran’s Stories: Struggles for Participation
Veterans tell their stories through interviews, memoirs, and photographs. Courtesy of the Library of Congress
University of Hawaii. Center for Oral History
COH established in 1976 by the Hawai‘i State Legislature. COH preserves the recollections of Hawai‘i’s people through oral interviews and disseminates oral history transcripts to researchers, students, and the general community.
South Asian American Digital Archive
SAADA is the only independent non-profit organization working to document, preserve and provide access to the rich history of South Asians in the United States. SAADA reflects the vast range of experiences of those in the United States who trace their heritage to Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the many South Asian diaspora communities across the globe.
SEAAdoc: Documenting the Southeast Asian American Experience
Based at UC Irvine, SEAAdoc focuses on post-1975 refugees and immigrants from Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam and the communities they have developed in the United States. It contains 1,500 visual images and 4,000 pages of searchable text.
Japanese American Relocation Collection Research Guide
From 1941 to 1946, Occidental College President Remsen DuBois Bird and College Librarian Elizabeth McCloy made it their mission to preserve articles, newspapers, pamphlets, and other items related to the forced internment of persons of Japanese ancestry along the West Coast. The online website offers an overview of the collection, including a comprehensive research guide, links to selected resources, and a representative selection from the collection.

Congressional Publications (ProQuest)
This database contains documents, reports, and other detailed information from both the House and the Senate dating back to 1789. Includes Congressional Record and US Serial Set Collections 1 and 2A-E, 1789-2011.

Japanese American Relocation Digital Archives
JARDA is a digital "thematic collection" within the California Digital Library's Online Archive of California documenting the experience of Japanese Americans in World War II internment camps.”
NARA: Japanese Relocation and Internment
Links to various resources in and outside the National Archives collection related to the Japanese Relocation and Internment.
Experiencing War: Asian Pacific Americans: Going for Broke
These eight stories are from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and Iraq, with special emphasis on the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, the “Go for Broke” outfit of Japanese-Americans who fought valiantly in Europe during World War II.
Densho: The Japanese American Legacy Project
“Densho's mission is to preserve the testimonies of Japanese Americans who were unjustly incarcerated during World War II before their memories are extinguished. We offer these irreplaceable firsthand accounts, coupled with historical images and teacher resources, to explore principles of democracy and promote equal justice for all.”
U.S.Census: Asian American Data Links
Pew Research Center: Asian Americans Page

data.census.gov (U.S. Census Bureau)
Offers access to data and digital content from the U.S. Census Bureau which includes statistics about population, housing, industry, and business.

Historical Newspapers

Historical Newspapers (ProQuest)
A digital newspaper archive that includes cover-to-cover full-text and full-image articles starting from the 19th century. Includes news, editorials, letters to the editor, obituaries, birth and marriage announcements, advertisements, etc.
Includes: Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta Daily World, Austin American Statesman, The Baltimore Afro-American, Baltimore Sun, Boston Globe, Chicago Defender, Chicago Tribune, Christian Science Monitor, Cleveland Call and Post, Los Angeles Sentinel, Los Angeles Times, Louisville Defender, Michigan Chronicle, New York Amsterdam News, The New York Times, Norfolk Journal and Guide, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Tribune, Pittsburgh Courier, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, The Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post.
Chronicling America (Library of Congress)
This site allows users access to scanned newspaper pages from 1880-1910 for newspapers published in the United States. Users also have the ability to find information about published American newspapers from 1690 to the present.
New York Times All Access Digital Pass (The New York Times Company)
Search and browse The New York Times from 1851-present. Users must go through the library’s link to register for an account. Once registered, an account is valid for one year and may be used to access The New York Times website directly.
Creating an Account with the New York Times:

On the New York Times page, click on the Create Account link.
You must use your university email when registering. For example:
- John.Doe@jaguar.tamu.edu for students.
- jdoe@tamusa.edu for faculty and staff.
You will have access to the New York Times for one year.
Questions? Call the University Library at 210-784-1500.
Access World News (NewsBank)
Research diverse perspectives, topics and trends that align with curricular areas such as Political Science, English, Sociology, Humanities, Business, International Studies and more. Features reliable, credible information from a wide variety of international, national and local news sources. Also available remotely 24/7 on any device.