Examples of primary sources in the Archives

The Harvard University Archives' primary mandate is to preserve and make available the University's permanent administrative records - the institutional archives. But the Archives has a more expansive mission to document the Harvard community as broadly and deeply as possible.

The Archives' collections date from the 17th century to the present. They cover a vast array of topics and formats relating to the immediate University community and beyond. Here are some examples.

University records

Personal archives of faculty, students, alumni, and staff

Theses and dissertations by Harvard students

Records of student and alumni organizations

Historical collections