A primary source is a "first-hand" information, sources as close as possible to the origin of the information or idea under study. Primary sources are contrasted with secondary sources--works that provide analysis, commentary, or criticism on the primary source. In historical studies, primary sources include written works, recordings, images, oral histories, or other sources of information from people who were participants or direct witnesses to the events in question. Commonly used primary sources include government documents, memoirs, personal correspondence, oral histories, and contemporary newspaper accounts.
The following resources are major tools for finding digitized texts related to the history of women and gender.