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Readex
@readex.com
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Established more than 80 years ago, Readex, a division of NewsBank, Inc., publishes unique, important, and carefully curated primary source collections for academic research.
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🎉 Happy Children's Day! 🌈

‘The Village of Innocence’: Rare Children’s Books from the American Antiquarian Society illuminate the lives of early 19th-century children: https://ow.ly/i2iA50XoBtR

#ChildrensDay2025 #CelebrateYouth
Black and white illustration of Jacob Johnson's bookstore with a door displaying various book covers and a sign advertising English and German schoolbooks.
November 14, 2025 at 7:40 PM
readex.com
Need a cure for your "nervous condition"? Find "A European Cure in America" in the "most picturesque part and on the border of the two Virginias."

From American Pamphlets Series 1 1820-1922 https://ow.ly/iQSw50XkZgb

#StressAwarenessDay #SelfCareMatters #HealthHistory #HealthHist #Histmed
A collage of early 20th-century images and text promoting the health benefits of mineral springs. The top image shows a grand multi-story resort hotel with arched walkways and landscaped grounds, likely a spa destination. The bottom-left section includes a highlighted excerpt from a 1915 Journal of the American Medical Association editorial affirming the therapeutic value of drinking mineral waters, describing it as “an established therapeutic custom.” To the right, two smaller images show picturesque spa architecture: one depicts a small domed pavilion among autumn trees, and the other a long colonnaded bathhouse nestled in green hills.
November 5, 2025 at 3:01 PM
readex.com
👋Hello #CharlestonConference! Stop by Vendor Showcase table 33 for news about Readex primary source collections covering 20th c global history and across U.S. history from the colonial period through the 21st c.

📱 Info also available in the Whova app.

#chasconf2025
Readex table at the Charleston Conference vendor showcase. Table covered in a maroon table cloth with the Readex logo on the front in white. Account representative Erin sits at the table with a laptop. Flyers are lying on the table. Two banners appear in the background. On the left the banner features a collage of historical figures with Readex superimposed over the collage. The banner on the right features an image of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Readex table at the Charleston Conference vendor showcase. Table covered in a maroon table cloth with the Readex logo on the front in white. Flyers are set in a small 3 tier stand on the table. Two banners appear in the background. On the left the banner features a collage of historical figures with Readex superimposed over the collage. The banner on the right features an image of the fall of the Berlin Wall.
November 4, 2025 at 4:40 PM
readex.com
Heading to the #CharlestonConference? Stop by table 33 at the Vendor Showcase to learn about the latest Readex primary source collections and how they support research and teaching at your university.
Invitation to visit Readex at the 2025 Charleston Conference, booth number 33.
November 3, 2025 at 1:00 PM
readex.com
#OTD in 1886, the Statue of Liberty was unveiled to national celebration. Newspapers marveled at its scale—“the head of the statue will hold comfortably forty persons.” How did the press shape Liberty’s early symbolism?

#History #PrimarySources #StatueOfLiberty
A collage featuring 19th-century newspaper clippings and illustrations celebrating the unveiling of the Statue of Liberty in 1886. At the center is a color advertisement for “Pratt’s Astral Oil” showing the illuminated statue holding her torch aloft. Surrounding it are three black-and-white illustrations: people standing inside the statue’s head; a man seated beside Liberty’s massive foot; and a view of ships gathered for the naval parade during the unveiling. A newspaper headline reads, “Liberty Unveiled. A Monument to the Friendship of Two Nations.” The collage highlights public fascination with the monument’s size and symbolism. Text at the bottom credits American Broadsides and Ephemera, 1749–1900 and Early American Newspapers, 1690–1922.
October 28, 2025 at 3:10 PM
readex.com
Archives aren’t only repositories of politics and war; they also hold the echoes of laughter. In this new article, we examine how a single comic episode from the American Indian Wars illuminates broader questions about humor, discipline, and humanity in history. https://ow.ly/J3km50XaGvu
October 27, 2025 at 6:00 PM
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Vermont’s founding owes much to Ethan Allen’s audacity. His Green Mountain Boys not only seized Fort Ticonderoga but also shaped an independent republic before statehood: https://ow.ly/Fqts50X7jXT

#VermontHistory #RevolutionaryWar
October 17, 2025 at 10:00 PM
readex.com
👋 Enjoying #WHA2025? Stop by booth 13 and meet Karen from Readex!

Discover our newest primary source collections—spotlighting Native American studies, LGBTQ+ communities, and many other diverse voices shaping Western history research.

Let’s chat!
Readex booth at a conference featuring banners on Native American studies and historical research resources.
October 17, 2025 at 2:03 PM
readex.com
Historians find humanity in unexpected places. Our latest Readex blog uncovers a soldier’s “misadventure in comedy” — a 19th-century account that reveals how humor, discomfort, and duty intersected in military life: https://ow.ly/uoIC50XaF4F
🗃️ #PrimarySources #AmericanHistory
A black-and-white image of an 1800s newspaper titled Fort Garland Herald, edited by H. A. Ellis. The issue includes several short, humorous, and sarcastic local news items under headings such as “Local Intelligence,” “A Scurvy Bummer,” “Personal,” and “Miscellaneous.” Mentions include Captain Bean leaving for the East, a “snivelling brute” editor of another paper, a missing pigskin tippet, and local military figures like General John S. Mason and Chaplain La Tourette.
October 14, 2025 at 5:50 PM
readex.com
Mission Impossible: America at War with Itself in its Indian Policy: https://ow.ly/NZaC50X6hrV

#IndigenousPeoplesDay, #HonorNativeHistory #NationalIndigenousPeoplesDay

Image: Kansa tribe, KAW Indian camp, 1872. Library of Congress
Two Native American women in traditional clothing stand on a wooded path while three others sit near a large tree in a forest clearing.
October 13, 2025 at 1:55 PM
readex.com
Ethan Allen was more than a Revolutionary hero — he was a philosopher, theologian, businessman, and land speculator. His life reminds us that the American founding was as much an intellectual and economic project as a military one: https://ow.ly/Pshm50X7j6b

#EarlyAmerica #IntellectualHistory
Black-and-white engraving depicting the Capture of Fort Ticonderoga (1775) during the American Revolution. In the foreground, Ethan Allen, dressed in military uniform with sword raised, confronts the British commander inside the stone fort. Allen is illuminated by a torch held by another figure, while a soldier carrying a lantern stands nearby. In the background, cannons and soldiers can be seen on the fort’s ramparts. The caption below reads: “Capture of Fort Ticonderoga. ‘By what authority?’ ‘In the name of the Great Jehovah & the Continental Congress.’”
October 9, 2025 at 7:25 PM
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The Puritan's instituted the first [US] book ban in 1637 - New English Canaan by Thomas Morton. Despite its rarity, the title lived on as a 17th c. New England history, referenced by Thomas Jefferson in 1814, a Boston newspaper in 1840, and many other works.

#BannedBooksWeek #EarlyAmerica
October 7, 2025 at 4:02 PM
readex.com
🎉🏆 Happy National Coaches Day! Stepping up for their players since the first contested slide into home base. ⚾

Image from American Broadsides and Ephemera, 1749-1900 https://ow.ly/pqGp50X6oza

#NationalCoachesDay #SportsHistory #BaseballHistory
Vintage illustration of a baseball game moment with players in late 19th-century attire at home plate, with a referee signaling a call.
October 6, 2025 at 6:40 PM
readex.com
In colonial America, the Quakers built communities to practice their faith free from government restraint. They embraced 'conscientious scrupulousness,' refusing to bear arms even during the #AmericanRevolution.

Early American Imprints: https://ow.ly/yT3M50X4Ai2

#NonViolenceDay #ChoosePeace
October 2, 2025 at 1:15 PM
readex.com
LGBTQ+ Life in America brings to light the voices and experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals throughout U.S. history.

Learn more about LGTBQ+ Life in America: https://ow.ly/qMc950X3KBy

#LesbianHistory #LGBTQHistory #lgbthistory #TransHistory #QueerHistory
Collage of newspaper clippings highlighting men in LGBTQ+ history. Headlines include: “Cecil Dreeme, by Winthrop” book notice (19th-century ad). “‘The Captive’ Boasts Cast of Stars” (theatrical news clipping). “Village Raid Stirs Melee: A police raid on the Stonewall Inn, a tavern frequented by homosexuals at 53 Christopher St., just east of Sheridan Square in Greenwich Village, triggered a near-riot early today” (news report on the Stonewall Riots). Inset photo: modern graphic reading “LGBTQ+ Life in America: The experience and impact of LGBTQ+ Americans as recorded by the news media.” Collage of historical newspaper clippings featuring stories about women and gender identity in America. Headlines include: “From documents transmitted to Congress it appears that the whole number of Pensioners under the several acts of 1818, 1820, and 1823 is about 12961…” (Independent Chronicle & Boston Patriot, Jan. 31, 1824). “A Romance of the War—The Adventures of a Girl Soldier, who Fought in the Battle of Shiloh and Perryville” (San Francisco Bulletin, June 17, 1871). Campaign ad for Kathy Kozachenko and Beth Brunton of the Human Rights Party, April 1, 1974, Ann Arbor News. Collage of historical newspaper clippings about transgender identity and gender transformation. Headlines include: “Woman Runner To Become Man: World Record Holder Has Option of Either Sex, Prague Reports” (Chester Times, Dec. 3, 1935). “Negro Masquerading: Another Frances Thompson Case in Memphis, Tenn.” (The World, Aug. 29, 1876). “A Strange Hallucination: Woman Transformed into a Man” (Sacramento Bee, June 25, 1915).
September 30, 2025 at 3:01 PM
readex.com
🍂 Happy First Day of Fall! 🍁 As we bid farewell to summer's warmth, let's embrace the autumn!

Image from American Broadsides and Ephemera, 1749-1900.

#NineteenthCentury #19thCentury #FallFestivities #AutumnVibes
Colorful illustrated calendar from The Youth’s Companion, dated A.D. 1879, showing October, November, and December months. The central illustration depicts three children harvesting apples: one boy in a hat gathering apples into a large basket, another boy reaching up to pick fruit from the tree, and a girl in a long yellow dress holding a small pail. Decorative floral borders surround the scene. At the bottom, a motto reads: ‘Not by companionship alone, by what one reads, a man is known.’
September 22, 2025 at 2:06 PM
readex.com
📜 Although the 14th Amendment was ratified universally by the former Confederate states—it was required to regain Congressional representation—it was not observed consistently.

✒️ Read more on our blog: bit.ly/4l4zVgc

#ConstitutionDay #CivilWarHistory #USHistory #AmericanHistory
Excerpt from the U.S. Congressional Serial Set showing Section 3 of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The text states that no person who has previously taken an oath to support the Constitution and then engaged in insurrection, rebellion, or aided enemies of the United States may serve as a senator, representative, elector, or hold office, unless Congress removes the restriction by a two-thirds vote. Caption at the bottom reads: 'From: U.S. Congressional Serial Set, 1817–1994'.
September 17, 2025 at 12:56 PM
readex.com
Before #California became a state #OTD in 1850 it was in limbo during the Mexican-American War.

What happened in California during the Interregnum of 1846-1848?

🔎 Find out on our blog: bit.ly/3JV9Frh

#CaliforniaHistory #USHistory #AmericanHistory
Officers of Commodore John D. Sloat raising the American flag at Monterey, California, on July 7, 1846, marking the U.S. claim of California during the Mexican-American War. Several naval officers stand at attention as the flag is hoisted near the Custom House. Naval officers on a balcony raise the American flag in Monterey, California, on July 7, 1846, as three U.S. ships lie anchored offshore.
September 9, 2025 at 2:08 PM
readex.com
📚🎉 Happy Read a Book Day, book lovers!

🌟📜 Igniting imaginations for more than 6 centuries.

18th and 19th century publisher advertisements found in Readex's American Broadsides and Ephemera, 1749-1900.

#ReadABookDay #BookwormsUnite
September 6, 2025 at 3:01 PM
readex.com
In Sept. 1901, Theodore Roosevelt coined “speak softly and carry a big stick.”

⚓ He urged a strong Navy, but by 1904 Democrats attacked him as a warmonger.

📰 Explore the debate in Early American Newspapers, 1690–1922: bit.ly/3Vc3did

#History #20thCentury #PoliticalCartoons
A political cartoon featuring Uncle Sam carrying a large, spiked club labeled “Monroe Doctrine.” Behind him, Theodore Roosevelt stands with a hand on his shoulder. A sign quotes Roosevelt: “We wish a powerful and efficient Navy, not for the purposes of war, but as the surest guarantee of peace.” The caption reads: “Speak softly and carry a big stick!” The imagery underscores Roosevelt’s foreign policy. A political cartoon titled “The Real Roosevelt.” It caricatures Theodore Roosevelt with exaggerated, snarling features, wearing a Rough Rider hat with a skull-and-crossbones insignia and the word “Militarism.” He is draped in banners labeled “United States” and “For President!” The tone is hostile, portraying him as aggressive and dangerous.
September 3, 2025 at 2:05 PM
readex.com
Alexander Hamilton built the first U.S. monetary system in the late 1700s. 💵

#PrimarySources —debates, reports, newspapers—help students see how early Americans argued over money & power.

How would you use these sources to study the nation’s financial beginnings? Start on our blog: bit.ly/4g7TTW7
The U.S. Treasury building with white columns against a clear blue sky. A text overlay reads: ‘Alexander Hamilton didn’t just make it onto the $10 bill—he crafted the very system it symbolizes.’
September 2, 2025 at 3:06 PM
readex.com
📜 On Jan 25, 1787, Daniel Shays petitioned Gen. Lincoln to disband troops & pardon rebels. But violent clashes soon ended in defeat. Shays’ Rebellion exposed flaws in the Articles of Confederation & helped spark calls for a stronger Constitution.

📰 Early American Newspapers: bit.ly/3Vc3did
An excerpt from the Salem Mercury (Feb. 3, 1787) showing Daniel Shays’ petition to Major General Benjamin Lincoln. The petition requests that government troops be disbanded, rebels indemnified, and prisoners released. Signed by Daniel Shays and Daniel Gray, dated Jan. 25, 1787. The background is a textured parchment-style paper.
August 29, 2025 at 3:37 PM
readex.com
"These are not parks in the common meaning of the word...They are, on the contrary, large areas which nature, not man, has made beautiful..." (1916)

The National Park Service was established #OTD in 1916.

From American Pamphlets, 1820-1922: www.readex.com/products/ame...

#EnvironmentalHistory
A collage of vintage illustrations and photographs related to U.S. national parks. Top left shows a historical map of the United States highlighting major cities and early national park locations. Top right displays a black-and-white photo of a deer beneath the title "Glimpses of our National Parks." Bottom left features a photo of Yosemite National Park's Upper and Lower Yosemite Falls cascading between granite cliffs. Bottom right is a detailed bird’s-eye drawing of Yosemite Valley looking eastward toward the Sierra Nevada, with numbered geological features and a winding river through the valley.
August 25, 2025 at 3:11 PM
readex.com
World War II was a fight with weapons and words. Propaganda campaigns fueled the fight and served as a source of intelligence for the Allies.

How did the British capture German propaganda and turn it into valuable intelligence for political leaders?

🔎 bit.ly/3VaH43s

#WWIIHistory #WWII #WW2
August 21, 2025 at 5:16 PM
readex.com
📡 BBC Monitoring: Summary of World Broadcasts - Library Journal Best Reference 2024 - covers the arc of global 20th century history from World War II through the end of the Cold War.

💡 Learn more: bit.ly/4mOOxRT
Man wearing headphones operating a large switchboard and audio control panel, with handwritten notes and documents on the desk; overlaid text reads ‘Library Journal Best Reference 2024 – BBC Monitoring: Summary of World Broadcasts, 1939–2001.’
August 18, 2025 at 1:08 PM