Research Guides: Native American and Indigenous Studies (NAIS): Primary Sources

NAIS Primary Sources Online

This is a selection of VCU Libraries electronic resources that include primary sources either about or by Native Americans. Not everything in our collections is listed here, and our history databases are particularly deep in this area. Note that the majority of the sources you will find here were created during or after colonization of the Americas, and the vocabulary used in them varies substantially over time and geography. They come from a broad range of sources, including materials that are offensive or contain negative stereotypes. VCU Libraries provides access to these items to support research and inquiry.

American Indian Newspapers
Historical and contemporary periodicals published by Indigenous communities in the United States and Canada. Features national, local, and student publications from 1828 to the present.
Archive of Americana
Combined interface for searching Early American Imprints I & II (1639-1819), American State Papers (1789-1838), and the U.S. Congressional Serial Set (1817-1980).
ARTstor
Now part of JSTOR, this image database features a range of images in the arts, architecture, humanities, and social sciences. Collections have been contributed by leading museums, photo archives, scholars, and artists.
Indigenous Peoples: North America
Primary-source collections from Canadian and American institutions, providing insight into the cultural, political, and social history of Native peoples. Includes manuscripts, newspapers, Bibles, dictionaries, and primers in Indigenous languages.
Kanopy Streaming
Streaming documentaries, feature films, shorts, and more. Includes films from The Criterion Collection, California Newsreel, Media Education Foundation, First Run Features, Green Planet Films, Michael Blackwood, Kino Lorber and many more.