To be considered a primary source, it should be from the time you are studying (or from someone who was there during the time/event) and represent a "first hand" account or evidence. Think of things like: maps, personal diaries, letters, photographs, artwork, music lyrics, transaction receipts, bills of sale, hospital records, government pamphlets or documents, meeting minutes, data, speeches (written or recorded), legal documents, advertisements, etc.
If you find a source that interprets, analyzes, or provides a second-hand opinion, it is considered secondary. These provide us some "distance" from the original event, idea, research, etc. Think of things like books (they may base their research off primary sources but are putting them together in their own way), articles, literature reviews, book critiques or reviews...
But remember, context is everything. A newspaper review of a Broadway musical could be a primary source if you were studying reactions to that musical, but it would be a secondary source if you were studying the director of the musical.
It can be tricky sometimes, so reach out to an instructor or librarian for help if needed- or to show us the fun sources you're finding and celebrate your successes!
The "best" option below will depend largely on your topic, keywords, and context. The suggestions below are grouped into sources for data, photos/maps/letters, and newspapers.
Newspaper articles from the time of an event are often considered to be Primary sources. SLCC Library has access to many through the following databases. It's also worth doing an Internet search for a city/town/state and "newspaper" (and a year if you have one, or the event name) to see if something else shows up.
