Pandemics and Epidemics (Archives and Special Collections)

This guide describes some sources relating to epidemics and infectious disease found in the collections of the Immigration History Research Center Archives (IHRCA), the Kautz Family YMCA Archives, the Upper Midwest Jewish Archives (UMJA), and the Social Welfare History Archives (SWHA) at the University of Minnesota Libraries.

• A general research method for finding material in the archives listed above, as well as other historical sources: Explore a pertinent date (e.g. February 1919, an active month in the influenza outbreak) in newspapers or in the administrative records of organizations, to locate evidence of epidemic or infectious disease.

A few important notes:

• This list is not comprehensive.  It will be best to consult with an archivist if you are looking for additional sources.
• This list has been created for both university affiliates and the general public. Because of this, there will be some digital resources available to only those whom have UMN IDs. Resources limited to affiliates are specifically noted. 

Guide was last updated in September 2020 by: Linnea Anderson, Ryan Bean, Maura Coonan, and Ellen Engseth.