Historical primary sources provide direct testimony of an event.  They may be created at the time of the event  or later written down in memoirs, autobiographies by witnesses who experienced the event.

Some examples of primary sources are:

• Diaries
• Interviews
• Letters
• Memoirs
• Articles written at the time of the event

Newspapers

   Newspapers have been called the "first rough draft of history" 

Full text, online

19th Century U.S. Newspaper Digital Archive

   
Early American News  (Series I, 1690-1876)

Historical Chicago Defender 

Historical New York Times 

The Times Digital Archive