Research Guides: News and Newspapers: Historical Newspapers and Newsreels

Historical Newspapers on Microfilm

Ask at the Circulation Desk in Bell Library for assistance with these and other newspapers on microfilm:

The New York Times (1851-present)

Corpus Christi Caller-Times (1883-2018)

Historical Coverage of Major U.S. Newspapers

ProQuest Historical Newspapers This link opens in a new window
Collection of historical newspapers including Chicago Defender (1909 - 1975), Chicago tribune (1849 - 2015), The Guardian and The Observer (1791 - 2003), LA Times (1881 - 2015), New York Times (1851 - 2020), Wall Street Journal (1889 - 2012), The Washington Post (1877 - 2008), and the New York Tribune/Herald Tribune (1841 - 1962).

Finding Historical Newspapers in Library Databases and on the Web

Accessible Archives This link opens in a new window
Eyewitness accounts of historical events, vivid descriptions of daily life, editorial observations, commerce as seen through advertisements, and genealogical records are available in a user-friendly online environment. Collections include World War I Military Camp Newspapers, American County Histories, Woman's Suffrage Collection, Civil War documents, and more.
America's Historical Newspapers This link opens in a new window
Includes Early American newspapers, Series 1 – 5 (1690 – 1922) and Hispanic American Newspapers (1808 - 1980). Part of the Archive of Americana. Unlimited simultaneous users allowed. Content is updated monthly

Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers (Library of Congress)
Search select pages of America's historical newspapers from 1860-1922. Also available is a Newspaper Directory that describes and lists the locations of thousands of American newspapers published between 1690 and the present.

Hispanic American Newspapers (1808-1980) Series I This link opens in a new window
Archive of many of the Spanish language newspapers printed in the U.S. during the early 20th century, documenting the role of Mexican immigrants and providing an outlet for Hispanic voices. The newspapers date from the 1800’s to the 1950’s, representing locations such as Indiana and Missouri, although most locations focus on New Mexico and Texas cities and towns. Part of the Archive of Americana.
Illustrated Civil War Newspapers and Magazines This link opens in a new window
This collection contains 65,000 pages drawn from forty-nine periodicals and campaign newspapers. Four viewpoints are represented—Union, Confederate, Abolitionist, and British.

Texas Digital Newspaper Program
Digitized copies of newspapers from many locations across Texas. Holdings and years vary.

Access World News This link opens in a new window
News articles from the 1980s to present, from a wide variety of media, including newspapers, newswires, broadcast transcripts, blogs, periodicals, videos, and web-only content. Includes over 400 U.S. newspapers and over 1000 international newspapers. Includes Corpus Christi Caller-Times from 1883-2021.

Searching for Information in Historical Newspapers

STEP ONE: Find your date.

Most historical papers don't have an index. Exceptions to this rule would include the major national dailies like the New York Times. Even if the paper is digitized and searchable, it will help to have a rough idea of when your event occurred to be able to limit false hits.

STEP TWO: Find your newspaper

Some historical newspapers will be available on the free web, some will be in online library databases, and some will be on microfilm.

STEP THREE: Confused? Ask for help!

If you're unsure what to do next, ask us!

News and Newspapers:Historical Newspapers and Newsreels

Historical Newspapers on Microfilm

Historical Coverage of Major U.S. Newspapers

Finding Historical Newspapers in Library Databases and on the Web

Searching for Information in Historical Newspapers