Teaching History Through Primary Sources

One of the most rewarding aspects of my work is helping educators bring primary sources into their classrooms. There’s something transformative about students encountering historical voices directly, without the mediation of textbook summaries.

Last month, I worked with a group of Iowa teachers on using Depression-era documents in their curriculum. We examined farm women’s letters, children’s essays about rural life, and photographs from county extension offices. The teachers were immediately excited about the possibilities.

Primary sources do several things textbooks cannot. They make history personal and specific. They reveal the complexity and diversity of historical experiences. They require students to think critically, to interpret evidence, and to understand that historical knowledge is constructed from sources that are often incomplete, biased, or contradictory.

When students read a farm woman’s letter describing how she fed her family on almost no money, they’re not just learning facts about the Depression—they’re developing empathy, analytical skills, and understanding of human resilience. When they examine photographs of children during World War II, they’re learning to ‘read’ visual evidence and consider what images reveal and conceal.

Of course, using primary sources effectively requires preparation. Teachers need to provide context, help students understand the sources’ origins and limitations, and guide interpretation. But the effort is worthwhile.

I’m committed to making my research accessible to educators and creating resources that help bring archival materials into classrooms. History education at its best doesn’t just transmit information—it teaches students to think historically, to question evidence, and to understand that the past was lived by real people whose experiences matter.