Research Guides: HIST 495: 1960s America: U.S. Government Documents

U.S. Government Documents

Example of the multifaceted U.S. Government documents on the 1960s, covering domestic, foreign, military, and social policy, can be found in the following resources:

Statistical Abstract of the U.S.
Annual compendium of statistics from government and nongovernmental sources produced by the Census Bureau from 1878-2012 and ProQuest from 2013-present.

Census Bureau Decennial Census of Population by Decade
Features detailed population, economic, and agricultural data on the U.S. with breakdowns by state, counties, and communities. (1790-present)
Census of Agriculture
National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA) resource conducted every five years for years ending in 2 and 7. Documents U.S. national, state, and local agricultural activity since 1840.
United States Government Manual
Provides directory information on U.S. government agencies and officials from 1935-present.

ProQuest Congressional Publications
Provides access to historic and recent U.S. Government publications from 1789-1969 on including U.S. Congressional Serial Set documents, federal agency reports, congressional committee publications including reports on legislation, statistics, maps, and congressional debates.
Coverage includes Congressional Record and predecessor publication debates from 1789-1997 and Executive branch agency publications not included in the U.S. Congressional Serial Set from 1789-1932.

Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress
A biographical dictionary of all present and former members of the United States Congress and its predecessor, the Continental Congress.

NexisUni This link opens in a new window
Features more than 15,000 news, business and legal sources from LexisNexis -- including US Supreme Court decisions dating back to 1790.

United States Statutes at Large
Collections of laws and resolutions enacted during each session of Congress.
Local Climatological Data Publication (National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration)
A monthly summary from major airport weather stations that includes a daily account of temperature extremes, degree days, precipitation and winds.
Public Papers of the Presidents
Features presidential speeches, proclamations, and executive orders by U.S. Presidents from Hoover through Obama.
Historical Publications U.S. Civil Rights Commission
Collection of publications by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, courtesy of University of Maryland Thurgood Marshall Law Library.
Economic Report of the President
Annual report assessing current national economic conditions. Presents the perspective of the current presidential administration,1995-present. See FRASER for earlier years.
Federal Reserve Archival System for Economic Research (FRASER)
Digital library of U.S. economic, financial, and banking history—particularly the history of the Federal Reserve System.
What is a Dollar Worth?
A Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank resource calculating the dollar's purchasing power from 1913-2013.
Measuring Worth
Calculates and compares historical price and purchasing information for the U.S. dollar and selected currencies.
Prices and Wages by Decade
A guide from the University of Missouri Library on consumer prices and wages reported in primary sources for each decade back to the 1700s.
FBI Vault
Historic FBI records on many individuals and organizations including intelligence subjects.
Foreign Relations of the United States
Produced by the State Department's Office of the Historian, this is the official documentary record of U.S. foreign policy. Volumes are arranged by presidential administration, geographic region, and topic area. These volumes are generally declassified and publicly released 30 years after they were written.
U.S. Overseas Loans & Grants (Greenbook) Data
Annual report to Congress on U.S foreign assistance.
Historical Office of the Office of the Secretary of Defense
The mission of the historical office is to collect, preserve, and present the history of the Office of the Secretary of Defense, in order to support Department of Defense leadership and inform the American public.
National Museum of the U.S. Air Force
The National Museum of the United States Air Force collects, researches, conserves, interprets and presents the Air Force's history, heritage and traditions.
Marine Corps History Division
The primary task of the Marine Corps History Division is to research and write the Marine Corps' official history.
Pentagon Papers
2011 National Archives compilation of controversial 40 volume series of reports on U.S. military involvement in Vietnam.
Naval History & Heritage Command
The Naval History & Heritage Command is responsible for the preservation, analysis, an dissemination of U.S. naval history and heritage located at the historic Washington Navy Yard.
Central Intelligence Agency Freedom of Information Act Reading Room
Electronic reading room providing access to historic declassified CIA documents on a global scale.
NASA History Division
Documents history of NASA programs and facilities.
Smithsonian Institution Libraries Digital Collections
Digitized materials on multiple subjects.

Presidential Libraries

Presidential libraries and museums are excellent sources for learning about individual presidents and their policymaking. Many presidential libraries include primary source policymaking documents on their websites. Relevant presidential libraries for this course include:

Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum & Boyhood Home
Located in Abilene, KS. Dwight D. Eisenhower was President of the United States from 1953-1961.
John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum
Located in Boston, MA. John F. Kennedy was President of the United States from 1961-1963.
Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library
Located in Austin, TX. Lyndon B. Johnson was President of the United States from 1963-1969.
Richard Nixon Presidential Library & Museum
Located in Yorba Linda, CA. Richard Nixon was President of the United States from 1969-1974.