Research Guides: IDS 101: Unsettling Race in the Pacific Northwest: Finding Primary Sources

Primary Resources

Primary Sources are original materials from the time period involved, and have not been filtered, influenced or analyzed through interpretation. They bring us as close to the original event or thought as possible.

Examples: original research, preprints, letters, correspondence, diaries, court cases, interviews, pictorial works, fiction, poetry, autobiographies, memoirs, newspaper articles that are published directly after an event, government documents.

Willamette Archives and Special Collections

The Willamette University Archives and Special Collections offers a treasure trove of information to those interested in Willamette and Salem History. Besides the physical collections, some of the materials are also available online. Some examples of special interest:

Blaine Diary
Among the treasures in the archives of the Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church in Salem, Oregon, is a small diary kept in 1862 in the Willamette Valley of western Oregon by David E. Blaine. This online copy is the product of a collaboration between the Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference Archives and Willamette University.
Diary of Chloe Clarke Willson
The Chloe Clarke Willson journal documents Willson's journey aboard the ship Lausanne and her experiences as a Methodist missionary teacher at the Oregon Institute (later Willamette University) in Salem, Oregon.
Postcard Collection
One hundred and sixty-one black and white and color images document Willamette University and the city of Salem, Oregon from the early 1900s through 1990.
Wallulah
The Wallulah is Willamette University's student yearbook (1903 - 2007). The Wallulah is no longer being published.

Other Local/Regional Resources

Archives West
"Archives West offers descriptions of archival and manuscript materials held by participating institutions in the Pacific Northwest and Mountain West. Researchers and the general public can search over 40,000 finding aids to locate collections, then contact repositories directly to access materials."
Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde
The primary tribe of the Salem area, the Kalapuya, are part of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. The Grand Ronde website provides a rich source of information on the tribes of the area including history and culture all from the perspective of the tribes themselves.
Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians
The Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians is made up of 27 bands from Western Oregon, Northern California, and Southern Washington. Most of the reservation is located in Lincoln County but includes parcels of land around Salem. The website includes information on the group's heritage, tribal government, and more.
Oregon Black Pioneers
"Preserving the History of Black Oregonians."
The Oregon Historical Society
"As the steward of Oregon’s history, the Oregon Historical Society educates, informs, and engages the public through collecting, preserving, and interpreting the past . . . in other words, Oregon history matters. The OHS Research Library contains one of the country’s most extensive collections of state history materials."
Oregon Latino Heritage
"The Oregon Latino Heritage digital collection showcases materials Latino heritage collections from University of Oregon Special Collections & University Archives. The foundation of the collection is from student collected and created materials as part of the Latino Roots courses taught by Professors Lynn Stephen and Gabriela Martinez."
Salem Public Library--History Resources
Salem Public Library has some interesting online collections. Of particular note: Salem Online History which, "contains thousands of historic Oregon photographs dating from the mid 1800's, with a special focus on the City of Salem and Western Oregon communities." The site also contains historical articles about the area.
State of Oregon: Oregon State LIbrary
The Oregon State Library "was established as the Oregon Library Commission in 1905 and today provides information services to over 37,000 state government employees." The collection strengths include Oregon history. The library is located across from the State Capitol.
Willamette Heritage Center
"The Willamette Heritage Center, located in Salem, Oregon, was founded in 2010 by the merging of the Mission Mill Museum Association (est. 1964) and the Marion County Historical Society (est. 1950). Today the Willamette Heritage Center houses more than 13,000 objects and 200,000 photographic images. Our research library and archives contains more than 4,500 books and thousands of records.
The research library and archives are open to the public, Tuesday-Friday from Noon-4:00 pm, and by appointment."

IDS 101: Unsettling Race in the Pacific Northwest: Finding Primary Sources

Primary Resources

Willamette Archives and Special Collections

Other Local/Regional Resources

Willamette University Libraries