Out of the Archive
A 250+ Year Mosaic of American Documents
250+ Years of American History
A Gallery of Documents from Before and After 1776
As the nation commemorates 250 years of independence, the Association for Documentary Editing (ADE) presents a digital gallery of documents from throughout the history of what came to be called the United States of America.
Written before and after 1776 and in multiple languages, they reflect the efforts of documentary editors and recovery practitioners to make historical texts accessible to today’s readers. From letters and diaries to speeches and lawsuits, they are samples from many projects dedicated to publishing, often online and often free to users, the words of diverse people who shaped the lands that are, have been, or were influenced by the United States.
The content of each document’s page is the work of its own editors. If you would like to contribute a document to this gallery, you may do so here.
Explore Documents by Topic & Keyword
Prefer to see everything? You can also explore the entire gallery.
African Americans
5 Documents AvailableAmerican Literature
3 Documents AvailableArt & Architecture
2 Documents AvailableFamily History
3 Documents AvailableFirst Ladies
3 Documents AvailableGovernment & Politics
8 Documents AvailableMilitary History
1 Documents AvailableNative Americans
1 Documents AvailablePhilosophy
2 Documents AvailablePresidents of the United States
3 Documents AvailableReform
3 Documents AvailableReligion
2 Documents AvailableScience, Technology, & Math
1 Documents AvailableSex & Illegitimacy
1 Documents AvailableU.S. Latinx Communities
1 Documents AvailableWomen
5 Documents Available
Contribute a Document
Are you working on a documentary editing or recovery project? Help us expand this gallery! We invite editors, scholars, and practitioners to share historical documents that highlight the rich diversity of human experiences across American history. Whether your project focuses on well-known figures or underrepresented voices, we welcome submissions that bring historical texts to light.
