Primary Source

Download our newsletter, Primary Source. Published 4 times per year, Primary Source keeps friends and members of the American Baptist Historical Society informed about what’s happening, including peeks at some of the treasures from the collections.

Volume 24, No. 3 Primary Source, July-September, 2026

  • Rev. Thomas W. Woolsey: Pioneer Virginia
  • Church Anniversaries July-September
  • Digital Update
  • From the Archives: Revolutionary Documents
  • Research Snapshot- Melvin Foster
  • Call for Submissions: Torbert Essay Contest

Volume 24, No. 2 Primary Source, April-June, 2026

  • What the History of Baptist Can Teach Us
  • Church Anniversaries April-June
  • Gifts Have Been Given in Memory of…
  • Gifts Have Been Given in Honor of…
  • Digital Update
  • Opportunities to see the JACS Exhibit
  • From the Archives: Robert Hudson Collection, RG 1496
  • Spotlight on Volunteers
  • Call for Submissions: Torbert Essay Contest

Volume 24, No. 1 Primary Source, January-March, 2026

  • Look what you did last year!
  • Annual Fund Donors
  • Church Anniversaries January-March
  • Thank you, donors to ABHS collections!
    • Donors of Materials Pertaining to Institutional Work
    • Donors of Books and Pamphlets to the ABHS reference library
    • Donors of Personal Papers
  • Here’s an Overview of the Ministry that Your Donations Fund
  • Gifts Have Been Given in Memory of…
  • Gifts Have Been Given in Honor of…
  • Donors to ABHS Living Heritage Endowment
  • Supporting Congregations and Foundations
  • Have you included the American Baptist Historical Society in your will
  • A Resilient Faith: Japanese American Baptist during World War II
  • Opportunities to see the JACS Exhibit in 2026
  • Torbert Essay Contest
  • JACS Exhibit on Display

Volume 23, No. 4 Primary Source, October-December, 2025

  • I Want to Be a Pastor, Dennis Johnson ABHS Board of Managers
  • Church Anniversaries October-December
  • Opportunities to see “A Resilient Faith”
  • ABHS Transition: Brice Bongiovanni
  • From the Archives: JC Herrin: Civil Rights Pioneer
  • Research Snapshot — Arielle Rochelin
  • Going Digital Doesn’t Mean Going Paperless

Volume 23, No. 3 Primary Source, July-September, 2025

  • The Attempted Deportation of Baptist Hero, Roger Williams, Jeff Jones ABHS Board of Managers
  • Church Anniversaries July-September
  • ABC of Nebraska Awarded George D. Younger Award
  • Highlight of the 2025 ABCUSA Biennial Mission Summit in Omaha
  • Thanking God for Rev. Dr. Trinette Vernell McCray
  • ABHS Japanese American Confinement Sites Traveling Exhibit Available
  • Research Snapshot — Cindy Falk
  • Foundations call for papers-“Evolution, Creationism and Faith/Science”
  • Torbert Prize Open for Submissions

Volume 23, No. 2 Primary Source, April-June, 2025

  • Living History, Don Ng, ABHS Board of Managers
  • Church Anniversaries April-June
  • ABHS Transitions
  • JACS Project Update
  • From the Archives:  Missionaries from Nebraska
  • We hope to see you in Omaha!
  • Research Snapshot — Doug Liao
  • Torbert Prize Open for Submissions

Volume 23, No. 1 Primary Source, January-March, 2025

  • Thank you for Participating in ABHS’s Ministry!
  • Annual Fund Donors
  • Church Anniversaries January-March 2025
  • Thank you, donors to ABHS collections!
    • Donors of Personal Paper Winter Digital version 2025
    • Donors of Materials Pertaining to Institutional Work
    • Donors to ABHS Living Heritage Endowment
  • Here’s an Overview of the Ministry that Your Donations Fund
  • Gifts Have Been Given in Memory of …
  • Gifts Have Been Given in Honor of …
  • Have you included the American Baptist Society in your will?
  • Donors of books and Pamphlets to the ABHS reference library
  • 2024 Donors to JACS Project
  • A Resilient Faith: Japanese American Baptist during World War II
  • Participants in community scanning days
  • Torbet Prize
  • George D. Younger Award Open for Nominations

Volume 22, No. 4 Primary Source, October – December, 2024

  •  A Prayer for these days, Jonathan Malone and Walter Rauschenbusch
  •  Church Anniversaries October—December
  •  Our Growing Digital Archive at Your Fingertips
  •  From the Archives:  Central Baptist Theological Seminary
  •  Research Snapshot — Grace Vargas
  •  Welcome, Gusmar Chavrria

Volume 22, No. 3 Primary Source, July-September, 2024

  • Collaboration with Ancestry.com Goes Live!
  • Meet Anna Roberson!
  • Church Anniversaries April-June
  • Japanese American Digital Archives Project Goes on the Road
  • From the Archives:  children’s Literature
  • ABHS Journal Gets an Update
  • Research Snapshot – Rhacel Salazar Parrenas
  • ABHS Job Opening:  Financial Clerk

Volume 22, No. 2 Primary Source, April-June, 2024

  • Taking Digitization on the Road: Community Scanning Days Scheduled in Seattle and Los Angeles
  • Church Anniversaries, April-June 2024
  • Thank You to Kay Eland
  • Recovering the Stories of Baptist Conscientious Objectors
  • From the Archives: Hollingworth photos
  • Board of Managers Welcomes New Members
  • In Memoriam: Paul James Reeder, 1930-2023
  • Japanese American Digitization Project:  Community Scanning Days Scheduled

Volume 22, No. 1 Primary Source, January – March, 2024

  • Members & Donors Support Innovative Work       
  • Annual Fund Donors
  • Donors to ABHS Living Heritage Endowment
  • Thank you, donors to ABHS collections!
    • Donors of Personal Papers
    • Donors of Books & Pamphlets to the ABHS Reference Library
    • Donors of Materials Pertaining to Institutional Work
  • From the Archives Highlights of 2023 Donations
  • Here’s an Overview of the Ministry that Your Donations Fund
  • Gifts Have Been Given in Memory of …
  • Gifts Have Been Given in Honor of …
  • Church Anniversaries, January – March 2024
  • Supporting Congregations
  • Meet Brice Bongiovanni!
  • Sharing the Stories:  Increasing Access to Records Documenting Japanese
  • American Confinement and Northern Baptists’ Response
  • Torbet Prize

Volume 21, No. 4 Primary Source, October-December, 2023

  • A Living Legacy:  Chin Baptists and the Missionary Service of J. Herbert & Elizabeth Cope
  • Church Anniversaries October – December
  • New Collections Online:  Crow Indian Films & Japanese American Confinement Sites project
  • From the Archives:  500 Years Old!
  • Research Snapshot – Luis Rivera
  • American Baptist Quarterly Call for Papers
  • Our Vision

Volume 21, No. 3 Primary Source, July – September, 2023

  • Fellowship, Fun, and Facts at the ABCUSA Biennial Mission Summit in San Juan, Puerto Rico
  • Church Anniversaries July – September
  • ABHS Selected for JACS Grant
  • From the Archives:  The Cope Collection
  • Caring for Your Congregation’s Archives Part 4:  Preserving the Records
  • Join the Historical Society and Become a Time Traveler
  • American Baptist Quarterly Call for Papers
  • Our Vision

Volume 21, No. 2 Primary Source, April – June 2023

  • Caring for Your Congregation’s Archives – Part 3: Organizing & Preserving Your Congregation’s History
  • Lake Avenue Memorial Baptist Church of Rochester Named Recipient of 2023 George D. Younger Award Spring 2023 – Primary Source Online
  • Church Anniversaries April – June
  • Digital Assets Accessible Online
  • From the Archives:  Baptists in Puerto Rico
  • Research Snapshot – Eric Nordby
  • Join the Historical Society and Become a Time Traveler
  • ABHS at the Biennial Mission Summit – Save the Date!

Volume 21, No. 1 Primary Source, January – March 2023

  • Thank you for your support!
  • Annual Fund Donors From the Archives Highlights of 2022 Donations         
  • Thank you, donors to ABHS collections!
  • An overview of the ministry that your donations fund
  • Gifts have been given in Memory of
  • Gifts have been given in Honor of
  • Supporting Congregations
  • Have you included ABHS in your will?
  • George Younger Award Open for Nominations
  • William H. Brackney, January 30, 1948-November 13, 2022, ABHS Executive Director, 1978-1986
  • Join the Historical Society and Become a Time Traveler
  • Torbet Prize
  • ABC USA Biennial Mission Summit, June 23-25, 2023, San Juan, Puerto Rico

Volume 20, No. 4 Primary Source, October – December, 2022

  • Caring for Your Congregation’s Archives, Part 2: Gathering the Records
  • Church Anniversaries
  • At Your Fingertips: Your donation $$$ at work
  • From the Archives: Past and Present Coincide
  • ABHS Welcomes Mariah Hamby as Archivist
  • Invitation to Support ABHS
  • Research Snapshot – Adrita Mitra
  • Join the Historical Society and Become a Time Traveler
  • ABHS at the Biennial Mission Summit, June 23-25, 2023

Volume 20, No. 3 Primary Source, July-September, 2022

  • Caring for Your Congregation’s Archives – Part 1:  Where do we begin?
  • Church Anniversaries July – September
  • Nominations Open for George D. Younger Award for Excellence in Local Baptist History
  • at YOUR FINGERTIPS
  • From the Archives:  Scandinavian Baptists
  • Gratitude for the Life and Ministry of Beverly Carlson
  • Research Snapshot – Glen B. Chapman
  • Join the Historical Society and Become at Time Traveler
  • Torbet Prize Open for Submissions

Volume 20, No. 2 Primary Source, Apr-Jun 2022

  • Of What Use Are Archives?
  • Farewell to Caroline Crowell
  • Church Anniversaries April – June
  • West Virginia records now available digitally!
  • From the Archives American Baptist Ministry in Alaska
  • Time Travelers
  • Research Snapshot – Shiva Urella
  • Join the Historical Society and Become a Time Traveler
  • ABHS Seeks a New Archivist
  • Our Vision

Volume 20, No. 1 Primary Source, Jan-Mar 2022

  • Members Support Story-keeping and Story-telling
  • Annual Fund Donors
  • Church Anniversaries January – March
  • Donors to ABHS Living Heritage Endowment
  • Gifts have been given in Memory of / Hnor of
  • Baptist Lights Dimmed but not Extinguished
  • How does ABHS use your contributions?  Take a Look!
  • From the Archives – Highlights of 221 Donations
  • Thank you, donors to ABHS collections!
  • Have you included the American Baptist Historical Society in your will?
  • Join the Historical Society and Become a Time Traveler
  • Torbet Prize
  • Our Vision