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
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
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
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
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
Discovery & Exploration
maps that shaped our view of the world throughout history
Dogs
pictures of canines and their humans
Films
selection of films from the National Film Registry
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
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
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
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
Roadside America
selections from the John Margolies Roadside America Photograph Archive
Shoes
pictures about making, selling, wearing, shining, repairing, and also needing shoes
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
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