Today in History

Today in History: Sources

Sources

Today in History is a Library of Congress presentation of historic facts highlighted by items from the American Memory collections. Listed below are the primary resources used to find the topics covered in Today in History. Use these publications to do your own research. In addition, go to a library and ask for newspapers and magazines around the date you are researching.

Books

  • Gregory, Ruth W. Anniversaries and Holidays. 4th ed. Chicago: American Library Association, 1983.
  • Gross, Ernie. This Day in American History. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc., 1990.
  • Hatch, Jane M., ed. The American Book of Days. 3rd ed. New York: The H. W. Wilson Co., 1978.
  • Linton, Calvin D., ed. The American Almanac. New York: Thomas Nelson, Inc., 1977.

Web Publications

American Memory Searches

  1. Search across the American Memory collections

    Use the cross collection search box at the top of this page to retrieve items from multiple collections related to a specific date.

    Example
    Search across the American Memory collections on April 14. Your search will retrieve all items in the American Memory collections which include the words April 14 in the bibliographic record or the text. Sample hits include

  2. Search the full text of one American Memory textual collection

    To find references to a particular date within the full text of some of the American Memory textual collections, search on a date from an individual collections' search screen and select Search the full text of the collection.

    Example
    California As I Saw It: First-Person Narratives, 1849-1900 contains the full text of 190 works documenting the formative era of California's history through eyewitness accounts. Search this individual collection on a date, such as April 14, selecting to Search the full text of the collection.

    Your search will retrieve all items in California As I Saw It: First-Person Narratives, 1849-1900 which include April 14 in the text, no matter what year. Sample hits include