Research Guides: Primary Sources: A Research Guide: Historical Newspapers

Finding Newspapers

To find out if Healey Library has a newspaper, search the name of the newspaper in Journal Finder.

If you can't find the newspaper, you can request articles from InterLibrary Loan.

Historical Newspapers Online

These newspapers cover dates beginning in 1607. Check individual newspapers for exact dates.

African American Newspapers, 1827-1998 This link opens in a new window
African American Newspapers, 1827-1998 provides online access to approximately 270 U.S. newspapers chronicling a century and a half of the African American experience.
American Periodicals This link opens in a new window
Contains magazines, journals, and newspapers which were first published between 1740-1940. Periodicals appear in their original form, with the typeface, illustrations and even the layout unaltered.
American Antiquarian Society (AAS) Historical Periodicals Collection This link opens in a new window
American Antiquarian Society (AAS) collection documents the life of America's people from the Colonial Era through the Civil War and Reconstruction, to provide digital access to the most comprehensive collection of American periodicals published between 1684 and 1912. The collection includes 5 series by date and 50 subject subsets, which can be searched separately or together.
American Antiquarian Society Historical Periodicals Collection: Series 1 (1684-1820)
American Antiquarian Society Historical Periodicals Collection: Series 2 (1821-1837)
American Antiquarian Society Historical Periodicals Collection: Series 3 (1838-1852)
American Antiquarian Society Historical Periodicals Collection: Series 4 (1853-1865)
American Antiquarian Society Historical Periodicals Collection: Series 5 (1866-1912)
Boston Globe (historical + current) 1872-present This link opens in a new window
Text-only articles. No images, except for pre-1993 historical content.
Search the full run of the Boston Globe from one place. Access is from 1872-present. The extensive coverage provides genealogists, researchers and scholars with easily-searchable first-hand accounts and unparalleled coverage of the politics, society and events of the time.
Center for Research Libraries (CRL) This link opens in a new window
CRL holds approximately five million newspapers, journals, dissertations, archives, government publications, and other traditional and digital resources for research and teaching.

Historic American Newspapers
Library of Congress searchable and full text newspapers from 1836 to 1922 in selected states. Directory of newspapers from 1690 to present.

New York Times (1851 - 2020) (Proquest) This link opens in a new window
Text-only articles. No images.
The New York Times offers full page and article images with searchable full text back to the first issue in 1851. It does not include the current years three years. The collection includes digital reproductions providing access to every page from every available issue.
Printing: Use Print to fit option
Ethnic Newswatch This link opens in a new window
Ethnic NewsWatch is a current resource of full-text newspapers, magazines, and journals of the ethnic and minority press, providing researchers access to essential, often overlooked perspectives. The database now also contains Ethnic NewsWatch: A History, which provides historical coverage of Native American, African American, and Hispanic American periodicals from 1959-1989.
C19: The Nineteenth Century Index This link opens in a new window
C19: The Nineteenth Century Index searches major indexes of 19th century materials. Search millions of documents ranging from books and newspapers to government documents and periodicals at the article level. Users can query its many component indexes simultaneously or can conduct more detailed research using search pages for specific indexes or content types.

Newspapers in Microfilm

This is a selection of newspapers on microfilm which predate 1980.

Christian Science Monitor
Call Number: Microfilm Storage (ask at Reference Desk, 4th floor)
1983-2002
Los Angeles Times
Call Number: Microfilm Storage (ask at Reference Desk, 4th Floor)
Pravda
Call Number: Microfilm Storage (ask at Reference Desk, 4th floor)
1973-1991, 1997-2001
The Times Index
Call Number: AI 21 .T46
Microfilm Indexes (Reference - 4th floor)
Wall Street Journal
Call Number: Microfilm - Reference (4th Floor)
1889-2003

Boston Public Library

The Boston Public Library (BPL) is an outstanding resource for newspapers. All Massachusetts residents and students are eligible for a BPL card or an eCard. Use either card to access BPL's electronic resources.

Electronic Newspapers: go to Newspaper Search. Here you can find electronic versions of current and historical newspapers.

Historical and Massachusetts Newspapers: go to Newspapers on Microfilm for lists of Boston, Early American, ethnic, foreign, Massachusetts and US newspapers.