Primary source

Definition

Evidence created at the time being studied, such as a letter, law, ship's log, advertisement or narrative. It reflects the perspective and purpose of its creator, so it must be read critically. Records of the slave trade were mostly made by traders and officials, while testimony by the enslaved, such as Olaudah Equiano's 1789 autobiography, needs reading in light of its audience and editors. See also: secondary source, archival silence, and the guide Evaluating Primary Sources on Slavery.