Archives Unbound
Quick Facts:
- Scanned primary documents such as letters, memos, FBI surveillance reports, treaties, etc.
- Topic coverage is diverse, but includes American civil rights movement, European and American colonialism, evangelism around the world, Vietnam War
- Suitable for History, Political Science, Latin American Studies, Asian Studies, Religion, Anthropology and Sociology research
- Ease of use: Archives Unbound is not for the casual searcher. The more you know your topic (names, places, dates, events) the more productive your searching will be.
AU consists of over 100 collections of scanned primary documents covering many topics. Many were formerly classified documents. Some examples are:
- Freedom Riders in the South, 1961
- Afghanistan and the U.S., 1945-1963: Records of the U.S. State Department
- Correspondence from German Concentration Camps and Prisons
- Emiliano Zapata, 1901-1919
- Evangelism in Africa: Correspondence of the Board of Foreign Missions, 1835-1910
- Fannie Lou Hamer: Papers of a Civil Rights Activists, Political Activist, and Woman
- Japanese-American Relocation Camp Newspapers: Perspectives on Day-to-Day Life
Unlike many library databases, just going to Advanced Search is not the best way to start. Start by browsing the collections. 
When you find a collection you want to look at, reading “about this collection” is highly recommended.
The documents are scanned originals so expect them to be messy and sometimes have redacted information. Archives Unbound is not for the casual researcher, but it opens amazing treasures to scholars with patience and tenacity.
