LibGuides: Primary Sources: Civil Rights in America: Laws

Notable Legislation - Civil Rights

Off Campus Access

U.S. Statutes at Large Library via HeinOnline This link opens in a new window
Complete coverage of the Statutes at Large, featuring every law, public and private, ever enacted by Congress. Also includes early federal codes and compilations of statutes, as well as other related works.

HeinOnline This link opens in a new window
An online image-based collection of law and law-related materials. It includes law journals, the CFR, English Reports, Federal Register, Treaties and Agreements, Legislative history, a US Presidential Library and more.

Historical Publications of the United States Commission on Civil Rights
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A site at the Thurgood Marshall Law Library which provides access to the historical record of this Federal Agency. Documents can be accessed by title, date, subject, or sudoc number. Coverage begins with the Civil Rights Act of 1957. Additional information may also be found at U.S. Commission on Civil Rights web page (http://www.usccr.gov/).
The Supreme Court - Expanding Civil Rights
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primary sources from PBS related to the Supreme Court and civil rights
U.S. Commission on Civil Rights
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Provides access to various publications and legislation.
U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division
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"The Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, created in 1957 by the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1957, works to uphold the civil and constitutional rights of all Americans, particularly some of the most vulnerable members of our society. The Division enforces federal statutes prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, disability, religion, familial status and national origin."

Suggested terms to look for include - diary, diaries, letters, papers, documents, documentary or correspondence.

Combine these these terms with the event or person you are researching. (example: civil war diary)

Also search by subject for specific people and events, then scan the titles for those keywords or others such as memoirs, autobiography, report, or personal narratives.

An additional option is to do a search on a topic and use the "Resource Type" limiter on the left side of the results and choose the option "Primary Sources" - please note this is extremely limiting as most primary source materials are not marked in records with this resource type and you will miss seeing a large number of useful items.