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Asian American Studies

Your guide to Asian American research at UCLA: Find articles, books, primary sources, and more

What Are Primary Sources?

Primary sources are documents from the time period, people, and events of the time under consideration. Primary sources can be:

  • diaries or correspondence
  • photographs
  • illustrations
  • newspaper articles (from the time period)
  • manuscripts
  • pamphlets, broadsides, or other ephemera

Finding Primary Sources

Many primary sources can be found in UC Library Search or Worldcat, but there are other avenues for seeking out these kinds of materials.

On the Internet

"Chinese Dragon. La Fiesta Parade, Los Angeles, Cal., May 2, 1902," courtesy Library of Congress

There are many sources for digitized primary sources related to Asian American. Here are a few important collections to get you started.