Last Updated on September 11, 2022
These primary source sets provide just a small sample of the Library’s digital collections that are free to use and reuse. The digital collections comprise millions of items including books, newspapers, manuscripts, prints and photos, maps, musical scores, films, sound recordings and more.
Click the topic link to access each Free to Use & Reuse set from the Library. Those sets that have related sets of images found on the Library’s Flickr Photostream or sets of Library resources and/or learning resources curated/created by PSN are included in bulleted lists below the associated topic links.
19th-Century Portrait Photos
portrait photos from the C.M. Bell Studio Collection
Abraham Lincoln
highlights from the Library’s collections on Abraham Lincoln
Advertising Food
all kinds of signs advertise food, including buildings
African-American Women Changemakers
educators, activists, artists, and more
- Marian Anderson
- Mary McLeod Bethune
- Gwendolyn Brooks
- Shirley Chisholm
- Katherine Dunham
- Ella Fitzgerald
- Althea Gibson
- Fannie Lou Hamer | Voice of Freedom lesson
- Billie Holiday
- Charlayne Hunter-Gault
- Zora Neale Hurston
- Mahalia Jackson
- Barbara Jordan What Do You Do with a Voice Like That? lesson
- Toni Morrison
- Rosa Parks
- Harriet Powers & Quilting
- Leontyne Price
- Patricia Smith
- Tracy K. Smith
- Mary Church Terrell
- Natasha Trethewey
- Sojourner Truth
- Harriet Tubman
- Ida B. Wells
- Phyllis Wheatley
- Black Women’s Clubs
- Collection Spotlight: Works by Civil War Era African American Women
Aircraft
images of balloons, gliders, blimps, dirigibles, airplanes, fighter jets, helicopters, and space shuttles
American Revolution and Founding Washington
maps representing cities, battles, and symbols involved in the founding of the United States
Architecture & Design
gorgeous gardens, breakthrough buildings and notable designs
Art of the Book
examples of illustration, binding, and typography from a variety of locations and historical moments
Athletes
highlights athletes in more than forty different professional and recreational activities
Autumn and Halloween
activities and scenery from late September through early November
Baseball cards
cards dating from 1887 to 1914
- Primary Source Spotlight: Baseball
- Primary Source Learning: Baseball
- Primary Source Learning: Women in Baseball
Bicycles
photos and illustrations of bicycles and cycling through history
Birds
images of a variety of our feathered friends across time periods, communities, and places
Bridges
featuring the Golden Gate Bridge, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Bridge of Sighs and many more
- Guided Primary Source Analysis: Indian Timothy Memorial Bridge
- Today in History: Brooklyn Bridge
- Today in History: Golden Gate Bridge
- Today in History: Williamsburg Bridge
Cars
images of classic cars, race cars, steam-powered cars & more
Cats
photos, posters & illustrations
Cherry Blossoms
images from Japan and Washington, D.C.
Civil War Drawings
selections from Adolph Metzner Civil War Drawings
Classic Children’s Books
links to read these books online
Diners, Drive-ins and Restaurants
highlights architecture, signage, and people at diners, drive-ins and restaurants—one in each state and the District of Columbia
Disability awareness
people with disabilities throughout U.S. history—at work, at play, at school, and advocating for change
Discovery & Exploration
maps that shaped our view of the world throughout history
Dogs
pictures of canines and their humans
Families
serious and humorous family portraits and activities concentrates on the 1800s to the 1940s
Farm Life
aspects of life on American farms: landscapes, work, play, and everyday moments from dinner to doctor visits
- Primary Source Spotlight: Life on the Farm
- Today in History: Mexican Americans & United Farm Workers of America
- Guided Primary Source Analyses
- Citizen U Dolores Huerta lesson plans
- Learning from the Source: Cesar Chavez & Good Citizenship lesson plan
Films
selection of films from the National Film Registry
Fish & Fishing
traditional, scientific, nostalgic, commercial, and humorous views from the 16th to 21st centuries
Flickr Favorites
favorite images selected from the Library’s Flickr photostream
Football
selected images
Genealogy
family registers, family trees and photos, maps that document land ownership and more
Hats
offers a challenge to see how many of the hats you can match with an occupation, time period, or geographic location
Historic Sites
fascinating perspectives on how sites were designed
Historical Travel Pictures
color images from Europe, the Middle East, Canada, Asia and the South Pacific as they appeared in the 1890s and early 1900s
Holidays
images from the Library’s collections
Horses
scenes from the open range, farms, and cities as well as sports, the military, and recreation
Hotels, Motels & Inns
from Palm Springs to Paris, New York to Norway and all around the world
Ice cream
photos of ice cream parlors, ice cream advertisements and Thomas Jefferson’s ice cream recipe
Irish Americans
includes a variety of primary source types
Independence Day
reflect on how the holiday has traditionally been celebrated and also to discuss the complex history and symbols surrounding American Independence
Jazz Photos
selections from the William P. Gottlieb Collection
- Primary Source Spotlight: Jazz Music
- Learning from the Source: Capturing Character on Camera
- Integrating Technology: Linking Primary Sources to Literature
Libraries
libraries in all shapes and sizes serving their local communities
Lighthouses
American lighthouses primarily from the 1800s and 1900s
Maps of Cities
from individual buildings to panoramic views of large urban areas
- City Primary Source Sets
- Primary Source Learning: The Places You’ll Go with Maps
- Analyzing Primary Sources: Learning from Maps
Motion Picture Theaters
from classic theaters to beautiful historical film posters to snapshots of American moviegoing life
Natural Disasters
images of avalanches, blizzards, droughts and dust storms, earthquakes, floods, forest fires, heat waves, hurricanes, landslides, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions, and waterspouts from the 16th to the 21st centuries
- Today in History: 1906 San Francisco Earthquake
- Today in History: The Galveston Storm
- Today in History: Hurricane Katrina
- Primary Source Spotlight: Snow
Older People
images from the 19th and 20th centuries shows older women and men in formal portraits; scenes at work and at home; as grandparents and veterans; with happiness, sorrow, and determination
Not an Ostrich
photos selected for the Annenberg Space for Photography exhibition “Not an Ostrich: And Other Images from America’s Library
Poster Parade
1890s through the 1960s featuring travel, commercial products, war propaganda, entertainment, and more
Presidential Inaugurations | Presidential Papers | Presidential Portraits
from the United States
- Primary Source Spotlight: U.S. Presidents
- Primary Source Learning: U.S. Presidents
- Primary Source Learning: Presidential Elections
- Primary Source Learning: Women in the White House
Reading: Books, Maps & More
images that show you can read just about anywhere
- Collection Spotlight: Open Access Books
- Today in History: Rare Children’s Books
- Primary Source Learning: The Places You’ll Go with Maps
Roadside America
selections from the John Margolies Roadside America Photograph Archive
Shoes
pictures about making, selling, wearing, shining, repairing, and also needing shoes
Skyscrapers
images from the oldest acknowledged skyscraper to the crowded skylines of the 21st century
Swimming
swimming pools, beaches & more summer fun
Tennis
equipment, courts, athletes and recreational players
Thanksgiving in History
select primary sources
Veterans
American veterans throughout history
- Today in History: Veterans Day
- Today in History: The Bonus Army
- Primary Source Spotlight: Veterans Administration
- Primary Source Spotlight: V-E & V-J Day
- Primary Source Learning: Veteran Teaching Resources & Strategies
Weddings
brides and grooms from many different customs and countries in the 18th to the 20th centuries
Women’s History Month
selected images
Work in America
a wide range of people engaged in jobs from 1977 to 1998
Work Projects Administration (WPA) Posters
selections from the WPA Posters Collection
Speak Your Mind