History: Primary Sources

Compiled by the History Department, the Biddix List is a listing of the primary source offerings available through our library. This does include offerings in Appalachian culture and history.

The purpose of the Special Collections and University Archives Unit of D. Hiden Ramsey Library is to facilitate the educational objectives of the University of North Carolina at Asheville and the broad mission and program objectives of the D. Hiden Ramsey Library.

The Western Regional Archives (WRA) collects, preserves, and makes available for public use historical and evidential materials relating to western North Carolina. The WRA is administered by the State Archives of North Carolina and operates under North Carolina General Statutes 121 and 132 in carrying out its archival mission and programs. The holdings consist primarily of private collections and some microfilmed county records.

The Library of Congress makes an enormous variety of resources available online, including books, newspapers, films, images, audio recordings, and many more. Please check copyright information for individual resources.

"New information and perspectives on the history of the Cold War, in particular new findings from previously inaccessible sources on "the other side" -- the former Communist world."

"A partnership of major research institutions and libraries working to ensure that the cultural record is preserved and accessible long into the future. There are more than fifty partners in HathiTrust, and membership is open to institutions worldwide."

"A web-based collection of historical materials from Harvard's libraries, archives, and museums that documents voluntary immigration to the United States from the signing of the Constitution to the onset of the Great Depression. Concentrating heavily on the 19th century, Immigration to the US includes over 400,000 pages from more than 2,200 books, pamphlets, and serials, over 9,600 pages from manuscript and archival collections, and more than 7,800 photographs."