Virtual Library – History
Dig Memphis is the digital archive of the Memphis Public Libraries. We will showcase many of the treasures of the Memphis and Shelby County Room. As an ongoing project of the library, new items are added regularly, so check back frequently.
Access historical newspapers from across Tennessee and the Southeast.
We’ve pulled together this collection of online maps from various entities such as our own Dig Memphis digital archives, the Tennessee Virtual Library, and the Library of Congress
At the Library
The Memphis and Shelby County Room is an area within the History/Social Sciences Department on the 4th floor of Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library where researchers may view items from the library’s archival and manuscript collections.
On Our Shelves
Top Subjects
Other Online Local History Resources
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress has over 1,000 digitized items related to Memphis. View them HERE. There are also over 200 items for Shelby County.
Of particular interest are these 1910 Haines Photo Company shots:
Also, J. C. Coovert Cotton Field Panoramic Photos:
And sheet music of blues and jazz classics:
- The March of the Chickasaw Guards (sheet music)
- The Beale Street Blues (sheet music) (recording)
- The Memphis Blues (sheet music)
Memphis Heritage – Newman’s Memphis
The Don Newman Photography Collection includes thousands of photos around Memphis from the 1940s through the 1960s. Many feature buildings and street activity. View the collection HERE.
National Archives
The National Archives holds a couple of items of particular interest including:
Rhodes College DLynx Digital Archive
This digital archive holds many items related not only to Rhodes College but to the overall city as well, such as the Memphis and the Mid-South collection that includes historical maps, oral histories, and Beale Street historical documents.
Shelby County Register of Deeds
The Shelby County Register of Deeds has many archive records available on their website HERE, including:
Tennessee Virtual Archive
The Tennessee Virtual Archive is home to the Tennessee State Library & Archives digitized collections. This includes nearly 400 items for Memphis found HERE and another 400 for Shelby County HERE (some overlap).
University of Memphis Digital Repository
The University of Memphis Digital Repository holds documents related to regional history including the Civil War, Civil Rights, and the African American Community including a collection on Benjamin L. Hooks.
Withers Digital Archive
The Withers Collection Museum & Gallery has digitized many of the 1.8 million photos of famed photographer Dr. Ernest C. Withers including photos of many civil rights leaders and legendary blues and jazz performers. View the archive HERE.
Orange Mound / Withers Collection Project
The Orange Mound Library is teaming up with the The Withers Collection Museum & Gallery to help identify people in historic Orange Mound photos. Find out how you can become a Withers Detective here!
Community Historians
Crème de Memph Blog
A blog by a devoted researcher provides a deep cut look at the history of many Memphis buildings, zoning cases, and more. View the blog HERE.
Historic-Memphis Website
What initially started out as a brief section on Memphis History for the Memphis Tech High Alumni Website has grown into an entity of itself. A small group of dedicated researchers have pulled together many stories and images of Memphis’ past. View the website HERE.
Memphis Historical Railroad Pages
A group of researchers used many items from the Memphis/Shelby County Room to develop this fascinating site detailing the history of railroads in Memphis. Visit the page HERE.
Our Memphis History
Our Memphis History is made up of researchers, hosts, writers, editors and guests. They use all mediums including blog posts, podcasts, articles and public appearances.
Other History and Social Science Resources
Contemporary Women’s Issues (Gale OneFile)
Find timely and historically relevant content on issues that influence women’s lives across the globe.
Criminal Justice (Gale OneFile)
Gale OneFile: Criminal Justice informs the research process for researchers who are studying law, law enforcement, or terrorism; training for paralegal service; preparing for a career in homeland security; delving into forensic science; investigating crime scenes; developing policy; going to court; writing sociological reports; and much more.
Gender Studies (Gale OneFile)
Gale OneFile: Gender Studies provides balanced coverage of this significant aspect of culture and society. This database includes topics related to gender studies, family and marital issues, and more. Provided by the Tennessee Electronic Library.
Military and Intelligence (Gale Onefile)
Gale OneFile: Military and Intelligence contains scholarly journals, magazines, and reports covering all aspects of past and present military affairs. Updated daily, content supports key subject areas, such as governmental policies, the socioeconomic effects of war, the structure of the armed forces, and more.
Pop Culture Studies (Gale OneFile)
Gale OneFile: Pop Culture Studies analyzes and contributes to popular culture by offering useful information for researchers in social science, history, art, and liberal arts courses. Provided by the Tennessee Electronic Library.
U.S. History (Gale OneFile)
Gale OneFile: U.S. History contains scholarly journals and magazines that can be used by novice historians as well as advanced academic researchers. Updated daily, U.S. History offers balanced coverage of events in U.S. history and scholarly work being established in the field. Provided by the Tennessee Electronic Library.
War and Terrorism (Gale OneFile)
Gale OneFile: War and Terrorism contains millions of articles to help researchers gain valuable insight into conflicts and their causes, impact, and perception on a global scale. This definitive collection is intended for analysts, risk management professionals, and students of military science, history, and social science.
World History (Gale OneFile)
Gale OneFile: World History provides access to scholarly journals and magazines for use by novice historians and advanced academic researchers. World History offers balanced coverage of events in world history and scholarly work being established in the field. Provided by the Tennessee Electronic Library.
Gale eBooks
Gale eBooks is a database of encyclopedias and specialized reference sources for multidisciplinary research. These reference materials once were accessible only in the library, but now you can access them online from the library or remotely 24/7.
History Events