Research Guides: History, Law, Political Science: Tennessee History

Tennessee History

Digital Public Library of America: Tennessee
The Digital Library of Tennessee archival content within the Digital Public Library of America provides free access to rare and unique primary sources housed in libraries, archives, and museums in the state of Tennessee. Explore photographs, letters, diaries, oral histories, maps, original art, music, material culture, and archival material that documents the cultural heritage of the state of Tennessee from the Pre-Columbian era to the present.
Documenting the US South: Tennessee
The Tennessee subject headings pages from the Documenting the US South project.

Memphis History

Dig Memphis
Find primary sources (photos, letters, etc) from Memphis history. Digital archive of the Memphis Public Library & Information Center.
Christian Brothers University History Collections
These growing collections contain digitized images and audiovisual items from the Brother I. Leo O'Donnell Archives covering the history of Christian Brothers University.
Crossroads to Freedom
Digital archive of materials documenting the Civil Rights era in Memphis, Tennessee. Hosted by Rhodes College.
Ida B. Wells texts
Online, public-access copies of the major works of journalist Ida B. Wells, primarily documenting her campaigns against lynching. Site hosted by University of Pennsylvania Libraries.
Sanborn Maps: Memphis
The Sanborn Fire Insurance Company produced numerous, highly detailed, maps of cities large and small. Link is to the 1888 map of Memphis; more maps of Memphis and nearby cities are available as links on that page.
Shelby County Archives
Government records, exhibits of primary sources, and documentaries from Shelby County, TN (including Memphis).
University of Memphis Digital Commons - Special Collections
Contains selected materials and resources from U of M collections including still images, sound and motion recordings, and text documents. Topics covered include, but are not limited to, Memphis and regional history and culture in general, family and political life, the Civil War and other conflicts, Civil Rights, and the African American community and culture.