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History of Childhood and Education

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Childhood in US Primary Sources

This is a brief guide to getting started in studying the history of childhood and/or education. The guide provides access points to finding reference material; scholarly books and articles; as well as various primary source sets focused on schools, childr

Sourcing the History of Childhood

Historians have been struggling to write the history of childhood for centuries in part because children do not stay children. Instead, children inherently occupy a temporary status and do not frequently leave clear records from their own perspective. In consequence, most historians of children and childhood use the resources left by the adults around them, in the form of photographs, reports, commentary, and more.  

What's on This Page

    Broad Digital Collections

    Children's Drawing, Illustrations, and Writing

    Gov. Docs. and State Papers

    International Organizations

    Magazines and Periodicals

    Newspapers

    For historical newspapers and television, visit BC Libraries' Historical News page.

    Photographs and Images

    Reports and Studies

    School Records

    Freed children in New Orleans in the 19th century
    Caption: M. H. Kimball, Rebecca, Charley, and Rosa, Slave Children from New Orleans, Photograph, 1863, Library of Congress.

    For Additional Help

    For additional recommendations, contact your History Liaison, Erin, at erinkate.scheopner@bc.edu or schedule an appointment.