Primary Source Learning: Being American Primary Source Sets
This curated collection of primary sources was created to help students think critically about what it means to be an American by exploring and analyzing different perspectives and voices, particularly marginalized ones, over time. Thanks to the inspiration of Jen Reidel, 2019-2020 Library of Congress Civics Teacher in Residence, who suggested this theme.
Executive proclamations
- Reprint of President Roosevelt’s “I Am an American Day” proclamation May 3, 1940
- Reprint of Arizona Governor “I Am an American Day” proclamation May 17, 1941
- Harry S. Truman Proclamation 2984—Citizenship Day, 1952
- Joint Resolution authorizing the President of the United States of America to proclaim I Am An American Day, for the recognition, observance, and commemoration of American citizenship (p. 178) May 3, 1940
- Chapter 49, 66 Stat. 9, February 29, 1952: Joint Resolution designating September 17 of each year as “Citizenship Day”
- Public Law 105-225 112 Stat. 1253 Sec. 106, August 12, 1998, Patriotic and National Observances, Ceremonies, and Organizations
- Public Law 108-447 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005, 118 Stat. 2809, Div. J, Title I, Section 111, Dec. 8, 2004, currently codified in 36 USC 106, Constitution and Citizenship Day
- Tohono O’odham Citizenship Act legislation from 2001, 2003, 2013
- I Am an American Day and Defective Citizens Evening Star, (Washington, D.C.), 19 May 1940
- I Am an American editorial Roanoke Rapids Herald, (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.), 17 April 1941
- I Am an American Day and Just to Remind You – I Am an American Day contrasting opinion pieces from African American newspaper The Northwest Enterprise. (Seattle, Wash.), 16 May 1941
- Prejudice: Our Postwar Battle The Northwest Enterprise, (Seattle, Wash.), 23 May 1945
- On Recalling Japanese American Creed, The Northwest Times, (Seattle, Wash.), 27 June 1951
- 4H Citizenship Day to Cite Need for Negro Voting Jackson Advocate, (Jackson, Miss.), 20 Nov. 1954
- Citizenship Kodiak Mirror, (Kodiak, Alaska), 17 Sept. 1960
- Two Phoenicians Celebrate Citizenship Day, Arizona Tribune, (Phoenix, Ariz.), 22 Sept. 1961
- Buy Bonds The Future Outlook, (Greensboro, N.C.), 15 May 1943
- Royal Crown Cola The Future Outlook, (Greensboro, N.C.), 15 May 1943
- Wimbish Insurance Agency The Future Outlook, (Greensboro, N.C.), 15 May 1943
- War Bonds The Chronicle-Star combined with the Moss Point Advertiser, (Pascagoula, Miss.), 09 June 1944
- Declaration of Independence 1776
- What is An American? Hector St. Jean de Crevecoeur 1782
- What to the Slave is the Fourth of July? Frederick Douglass 1852
- Excerpt (begin at “At last I was granted permission to come to Washington . . .” from An Indian’s Views of Indian Affairs by Young Joseph, Chief of the Nez Perces [sic] 1879
- I Am an American juvenile literature 1918
- I am An American Day speech Interior Secretary Harold Ickes 1941
- I Hear America Singing Walt Whitman 1867
- I, Too Langston Hughes 1925
- Let America Be America Again Langston Hughes 1935
- América Richard Blanco 1998
- AmeRícan Tato Laviera 2014
- An American Sunrise Joy Harjo 2017
- America 1848
- Thank god I am an American 1917
- I Am an American 1918
- America West Side Story 1957 Broadway and 1961 film song lyrics
- America 1841
- America 1870
- True Americans 1885
- American Beauty 1895
- American Beauties c1900
- President Roosevelt speaking on the virtue of good citizenship at La Crosse, Wis c1903
- Protestors at White House gates 1905
- U.S. allotting surveyor and his interpreter making an American citizen of Chief American Horse, Oglala Sioux c1907
- New York Pickets at the White House 1917
- To enjoy American opportunities become an American citizen c1919
- Citizenship lessons image set 1929
- Labor protesters with signs: “Full Social and Economic Equality for Negros,” “Fight Police Brutality” 1930
- America gains a famous citizen 1941
- A large sign reading “I am an American” placed in the window of a store 1942
- Americans All 1942
- I Am an American Day rally image set 1943
- African American demonstrators outside the White House 1965
- I should like to be able to love my country and still love justice c1969
- America poster 1970
- Are high school students citizens? Support the high school bill of rights!!! poster 1970
- Women’s liberation 1970
- As a human being, I am ignored; as a woman, I am ridiculed; as an Indian woman, I am hated; as a mother, I am condemned poster between 1973 and 1980
- Tipi with sign “American Indian Movement” on the grounds of the Washington Monument, Washington, D.C., during the “Longest walk” 1978
- Woman’s March 2017 image set
- The reconstruction policy of Congress, as illustrated in California 1867
- School begins Puck 1899
- As the heathen see us Puck 1900
- The fool pied piper Puck 1909
- Dark Laughter: “The teacher says that everyone can git to be president. Then how come the whole class falls out laughin’ when I tell ’em that’s my dream?” Oliver Harrington 1960
- Anti-Freedom Rider Herblock 1961
- You Don’t Understand, Boy—You’re Supposed to Just Shuffle Along Herblock 1963
- Conceived in Liberty and Dedicated to the Proposition That All Men are Created Equal. . . . Herblock 1963
- … One nation … indivisible … Herblock 1977
- Ah, Independence Day — The glorious Fourth! Do see that the natives get a nice fireworks display Herblock 1978
- Climber 2000 Anita Kunz
- Citizenship 1917 speech by Will H. Hays, chairman, Republican National Committee
- “Dear Mr. President” January or February 1942
- All-American news [1945-05, no. 3]: includes segment about an American Day celebration
- “I Am An American Day” 1941 (Mayor Laguardia address) and 1945 (celebration in Central Park, New York City) via YouTube
More resources
- The Constitution and Citizenship Day Teaching with the Library of Congress September 12, 2017
- Exploring Identity with Citizen DJ, a New Project from LC Labs Teaching with the Library of Congress September 29, 2020
- Native Americans in the First World War and the Fight for Citizenship Worlds Revealed: Geography & Maps March 28, 2018
- United States Citizenship for the Native American