gender studies—primary resources & historical materials

Return to Resources List | Library Links | NU Program in gender studies

See also WSSLINKS: Women's History

African Women's Bibliographic Database Covers the literature of African women, a part of the Africabib.org website. Includes comprehensive bibliography on women travelers, missionaries, and explorers to Africa (1763-2000).
Anais Nin Collection: The Anais Nin Collection contains manuscripts, proofs and galleys to much of Ms. Nin's writing from 1925 - 1964.
ArchiveGrid Searches thousands of libraries (NU included), museums, and archives for historical documents, personal papers, and family histories held around the world.
ArchivesUSA Bibliographic records describing primary source materials in archives and manuscript repositories from throughout the U.S. Is comprised of three major resources: Directory of Archives and Manuscript Repositories in the United States (DAMRUS); National Union Catalog of Manuscript Collections (NUCMC); and names and detailed subject indexing from the major microform set National Inventory of Documentary Sources in the United States (NIDS).
autobiographies: See Women’s autobiographies from Cambridge University Library and personal papers listed here in "primary resources," as well as the electronic subject guide Historical Resources on Gender and Women's Studies. For more, use the "Subject Heading" search on NUcat and run separate searches on each of these words: "autobiography" and "autobiographies" and "biography."
Center for Research Libraries – CRL All materials in the CRL catalog are readily available to NU scholars. Titles include Masculinity, 1560-1918: Men Defining Men and Gentlemen (66 reels) and Women's Periodicals: Eighteenth Century to the Great Depression (150 reels).
Defining Gender, 1450-1910, online When complete (in 2007) will have over 60,000 images of primary documents and rare printed literature for men and women in five areas: (I) Conduct and Politeness; (II) Domesticity and the Family; (III) Consumption and Leisure; (IV) Education and Sensibility; and (V) The Body. Fields of study include economics, education, history, the history of medicine, literatures in English, performance arts, philosophy, psychology, and religion. May trace changes over-time in, for example, advice literature, consumer consumption, the position of men within the family, and perceptions of the body, beauty, education, and the mind.
Early Encounters in North America: Peoples, Cultures, and the Environment "... contains 1,482 authors and over 100,000 pages of letters, diaries, memoirs and accounts of early encounters." Publications from the 17th century, covering events from 15th century forward.
Early English Books Online (ProQuest) Trace gender issues through time with full images of books published in English from 1475 to 1700. Searchable by keywords in the citation only. To search within the texts, use the EEBO-TCP version (below). Over 100,000 works from Pollard & Redgrave's Short-Title Catalog, Wing's Short-Title Catalog, and Thomason Tracts, a compendium of broadsides on the English Civil War. Documents may be viewed online using the Dj Vu Plugin or downloaded using Adobe Acrobat. Users may search by author keyword, title keyword, subject keyword, or bibliographic number. In addition, users may choose to search only within the illustrations, and may limit searches by originating collection, source library, language or date.
Early English Books Online - Text Creation Partnership (EEBO-TCP) Growing collection of searchable texts published in English between 1475 and 1700. To search all EEBO titles (over 100,000) by keyword in citations (as opposed to searching within text) and view full-page images, use the ProQuest version.
Eighteenth Century Collection Online (ECCO) Full-text searchable facsimile page displays of approximately 150,000 books published in Britain and its colonies during the 18th century.
ESTC: English Short Title Catalog This is an e-catalogue of books and ephemera (from 1475 to 1700) and serials (1620-1800), many of which are available in microform (check NUCat). It provides materials, in any language, printed in Great Britain and its colonies as well as materials, in English, printed anywhere in the world. . . ."serves as a comprehensive bibliography of the hand-press era and as a census of surviving copies."
Escodias Plantas: Nuns and Beatas in Mexico City, 1531-1601: An e-book on the relationship between these women (nuns and beatas) and the transition of Mexico City in "an era in which the establishment of monastic and quasi-monastic houses for women was a particularly urgent theme of the colonial experience..." User agrees to comply with Section 108 of the Copyright Act of the U.S. and with guidelines developed by the National Commission on New Technological Uses of Copyrighted Works (CONTU Guidelines).
EXBIBLIO – Bibliography of the History of Western Sexualtiy, 1700-1945 A rich database that contains "about 23.000 titles of the non-belletristic primary and secondary literature of the history of sexuality in Europe, the U.S. and Canada from 1700 to 2004. Beyond this the database offers important titles of the sexual history of Antiquity and the Middle Ages, including non-Western societies." (Institute for Economic and Social History, University of Vienna)
Feminist memoir project: voices from women’s liberation. Also in print format in the Main Library (305.42097 F3293) and Special Collections (Spec Femina F32944).
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender periodicals A collection of periodicals located in the Special Collections section of the Library.
Gender Issues & Sexuality "... primary source documents... on the issues of gender and sexuality in the last three centuries. International in scope, this volume contains approximately 200 documents, such as speeches, magazine and newspaper articles, memoirs, letters, interviews, novels, essays... "
Gerritsen Collection - Women's History Online, 1543 – 1945: Includes "books and periodicals reflecting the evolution of a feminist consciousness and women's rights" and spans four centuries and fifteen languages.
Historical and Current Resources in the University of Chicago collections on Women's Studies Comprehensive list of current journals, reference titles, and others, including links to historical materials in print, microform, and other formats. (These lists are not exact duplicates of the set "Women, Gender Studies, and Sexuality."). Note that NU faculty and students have access and borrowing privileges at the UofC libraries. See Library privileges.
Historical and Other Resources in the University of Chicago collections on Women, Gender Studies, and Sexuality. Comprehensive list of current journals, reference titles, and others. (These lists are not exact duplicates of the set "collections on Women's Studies.") Note that NU faculty and students have access and borrowing privileges at the UofC libraries. See Library privileges.
Historical Resources on Gender and Women's Studies in the NU Library An electronic guide to important historical resources—e.g., Women, travel, and empire, 1660-1914; the gay rights movement, 1970-1983; the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs, 1895-1992; women's journals, c1700-1832; and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force records, 1973-2000. See, too, the links to the area studies collections including Latin America, East and South Asia, Europe, and America for international resources on gender issues.
Human and Civil Rights "...primary source documents... on the issues of human and civil rights in the last three centuries. International in scope, this volume contains approximately 200 documents, such as speeches, magazine and newspaper articles, memoirs, letters, interviews, novels, essays..."
North American Women's Letters and Diaries: Colonial to 1950: Includes the immediate experiences of 1,325 women and 150,000 pages of diaries and letters.
Northwestern University Women's Organizations: The following are a selection of online finding aids to primary sources related to women's organizations and Northwestern University. For more and for numerous and fascinating archives of individual NU women, visit or check the home pages of the University Archives. (The descriptive texts below are the work of the University Archives.)
- EmPOWER, Records of, 1991-1993 A feminist group linked with Northwestern University’s Panhellenic Association, emPOWER was designed to raise awareness of women’s issues within NU's sororities. (0.16 cubic foot)
- Evanston College for Ladies, Records of the, 1869-1933 In 1869 the Women’s Educational Aid Association founded the Evanston College for Ladies in order to provide female students with a respectable boarding house and supplemental or preparatory studies as they began or contemplated coursework at Northwestern University. (0.3 cubic foot)
- Northwestern Female College, Records of the, 1855-1976 In 1855 William P. Jones, Jr., and his brother, J. Wesley Jones, both Methodist ministers, founded the Northwestern Female College (Evanston, IL) with the stated goal of offering to “Young Ladies of the Northwest” a “thorough Collegiate Education near home, and amid such rural seclusion as will secure every possible guaranty [sic] for health, morals, and refinement.” (0.3 cubic foot)
- Northwestern University Dames Club, 1946-1977 The Dames Club was a social organization for women affiliated with Northwestern--including wives and mothers of NU students, as well as married women students.
- Organization of Women Faculty, Records of the, 1964-1994 The OWF was officially established in 1981, but had its roots in committee work begun in the mid-1960s. Records include correspondence, meeting minutes, reports, clippings, and notes.
- Program On Women, Records of the, 1970-1986 This interdisciplinary program was instituted in 1974 to sponsor research in women's studies and coordinate the Women's Studies Curriculum. (13 boxes)
- University Circle, Records of the, 1915-1999 Social, educational, and philanthropic organization founded in 1915, and continuing to this day, for women associated with Northwestern University. Fifteen boxes (5 cubic feet).
- University Guild, Records of the, 1892-1994 Organization of University and Evanston women founded to sponsor cultural programs and scholarships, and to collect art. (11 cubic feet)
- Woman's Club of Evanston Records Founded in 1889 by Elizabeth Boynton Harbert, the Woman's Club of Evanston is both a social club and a community service organization. (40 boxes, 53 scrapbooks, and 128 bound volumes)
- Woman's College of Northwestern University, Records of the, 1872-1893 In June 1873 the Evanston College for Ladies became the Woman’s College (also known as the College of Literature and Art) of Northwestern University. (0.3 cubic foot)
- Women's Board of Northwestern University, Records of, 1978-1988 The Women's Board was established in 1978, by the wives of five members of the Board of Trustees. (4 boxes)
- Women's Center, Records of the, 1986-1991 The Women's Center, an expansion of Northwestern's Program on Women, was opened in 1986. (1 linear foot)
- Women’s Educational Aid Association (WEAA) records The Women’s Educational Aid Association (WEAA) was organized in 1871 as the Educational Association, founded by Evanston women to help promote the higher education of deserving students at the Evanston College for Ladies. (12 boxes)
- Women's Self-Government Association Scrapbook, 1926-1931 The WSGA set, enforced, and interpreted the rules that governed all aspects of women's lives on campus. All women students were automatically members of the Association and all of them were governed by its rules. (0.15 cubic foot)
Parsons, Lucy: Chicago Revolutionary
Past Masters: Includes the complete works, variant editions, selections, and/or correspondence of the following and many more:
Sex & Sexuality, 1640-1940 Literary, Medical and Sociological Perspectives Microform collection in four parts: (1) body and medical related topics; (2) romantic friendships and lesbian relationships in literature and history; (3 & 4) Erotica, 1657-1908. For other large microfilm sets of related primary materials, see Historical Resources on Gender and Women's Studies in the NU Library.
Studies in Scarlet: Marriage & Sexuality in the U.S. & U.K., 1815-1914
Harvard University Library online archive of 420 trial narratives. The collection includes American, British, and Irish cases involving the relationships between men and women, from 1814 to 1914, including domestic violence, seduction, breach of promise to marry, bigamy, and murder. "These trials are especially rich sources for the study of the history of women in early modern society."
Women Advising Women, 1450-1837 See the online guide to contents on the publisher's website at AMP Digital Guides. Microform collection in 7 parts with early primary sources related to women’s rights and status, health, marriage, the law, daughters, education, religion, morality, women writers, women as translators, household management, domestic economy, and much more. For other large microfilm sets of related primary materials, see Historical Resources on Gender and Women's Studies in the NU Library.
Women and Social Movements in the United States, 1600-2000: Primary sources and "mini-monographs" on topics in women's history and American social movements. Currently includes 55 document projects, 33 lesson plans or document-based questions, and 20,000 pages of additional full-text documents. Updating continues.
Women & Youths Digital Collections of the University of Wisconsin: Good collection of searchable, digitized, text-based materials such as books, journals, and manuscripts, photographs, and others.
Women Working, 1800-1930 "... contains approximately 500,000 digitized pages and images of selected rare and historical books, institutional papers, personal papers, diaries, and photographs from Harvard's network of libraries, archives, and museums." Includes approximately 7,500 pages of manuscripts, 3,500 books and pamphlets, and 1,200 photographs.
Women Writers in English 1350-1850 This is a series of printed books. Below are links to the NUcat records.
- Askew, Anne, 1521-1546. Title: The examinations of Anne Askew / edited by Elaine V. Beilin. Publisher: New York : Oxford University Press, 1996.
- Barker, Jane. Title: The Galesia trilogy and selected manuscript poems of Jane Barker / edited by Carol Shiner Wilson. Publisher: New York : Oxford University Press, 1997.
- Chudleigh, Mary Lee, Lady, 1656-1710. Title: The poems and prose of Mary, Lady Chudleigh / edited by Margaret J.M. Ezell. Publisher: New York : Oxford University Press, 1993.
- Haywood, Eliza Fowler, 1693?-1756. Title: Selected fiction and drama of Eliza Haywood / edited by Paula R. Backscheider. Publisher: New York : Oxford University Press, 1999.
- Haywood, Eliza Fowler, 1693?-1756. Title: Selections from The female spectator / by Eliza Haywood ; edited by Patricia Meyer Spacks. Publisher: New York : Oxford University Press, 1999.
- Lanyer, Aemilia. Title: The poems of Aemilia Lanyer : Salve Deus Rex Judaeorum / Aemilia Lanyer ; edited by Susanne Woods. Publisher: New York : Oxford University Press, 1993.
- Murray, Judith Sargent, 1751-1820. Title: Selected writings of Judith Sargent Murray / edited by Sharon M. Harris. Publisher: New York : Oxford University Press, 1995.
- Sharp, Jane, Mrs. Title: The midwives book, or, The whole art of midwifry discovered / Jane Sharp ; edited by Elaine Hobby. Publisher: New York : Oxford University Press, 1999.
- Smith, Charlotte Turner, 1749-1806. Title: The poems of Charlotte Smith / edited by Stuart Curran. Publisher: New York : Oxford University Press, 1993.
- Speght, Rachel. Title: The polemics and poems of Rachel Speght / edited by Barbara Kiefer Lewalski. Publisher: New York : Oxford University Press, 1996.
- Stuart, Arabella, Lady, 1575-1615. Title: The letters of Lady Arbella Stuart / edited by Sara Jayne Steen. Publisher: New York : Oxford University Press, 1994.
- Weamys, Anna, b. ca. 1630. Title: A continuation of Sir Philip Sidney’s "Arcadia" / Anna Weamys ; edited by Patrick Colborn Cullen. Publisher: New York : Oxford University Press, 1994.
- Williams, C. R. (Catherine Read), 1790-1872. Title: Fall River : an authentic narrative / Catharine Williams ; edited by Patricia Caldwell. Publisher: New York : Oxford University Press, 1993.
Womens' Collection – Special Collection on the Women's Movement: The NU McCormick Library of Special Collections has collected materials—books, pamphlets, posters, periodicals, flyers, etc.--in regard to the contemporary women's liberation movement (domestic and international) since 1970. Over 3,700 books and pamphlets make up the continually-growing collection. See the link or visit Special Collections (Deering Library) for more details.
WSSLinks: Women's History Web Sites

For further information, contact:

Kathleen E. Bethel
African American Studies Librarian
Northwestern University Library
1970 Campus Drive
Evanston, IL 60208
:847.491.2173; fax: 847.491.5678
kbethel@northwestern.edu