Communication Research Guide

• Speech Index or its Supplement (PN 4001 S86)
• Index to American Women Speakers, 1828-1978 (PN 4055 U5 M35)
• We Shall Be Heard: An Index to Speeches by American Women, 1978 to 1985 (PN 4055 U5 M352 1988)
• American Orators Before 1900: Critical Studies and Sources (PN 4055 U5 A4 1987)
• American Orators of the Twentieth Century: Critical Studies and Sources (PN 4193 P6 A44 1987)
• Facts on File (D 410 F3, 1941-2007))
• Keesing's Record of World Events (D 410 K4, 1931-2007)
• Historic Documents of [Year] (E 839.5 H57) We have 1972-1995

• Representative American Speeches (PS 668 B3) - Our collection goes from 1939 up to the present.

• Congressional Floor Action and Debate - includes statements and speeches from the Congressional Record
• Congressional Hearings and Prints - includes transcripts of statements made before Congressional hearings
• Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents
• Public Papers of the Presidents of the U.S. (Docs AE 2.114)

Here are some suggestions for finding the text and audio of speeches online.

• American Rhetoric - includes speeches and orations, many of which are available as audio and/or video files.
• Commission on Presidential Debates: Debate Transcripts - provides transcripts of Presidential and Vice-Presidential debates from 1960 to the present.
• History Channel Speeches - Browse from the categories listed on this page or search for speeches for a larger selection.
• Gifts of Speech: Women's Speeches from Around the World - sponsored by Sweet Briar College.
• From Revolution to Reconstruction: Presidents - An index on the presidents of the United States containing not only their speeches but also writings, biographies and anything else related to their person or the office they are holding.
• Google and other audio/video sites are very good sources for the text, audio, and video of speeches. Just type I have a dream speech or chief seattle speech or fidel castro speeches and you will get the whole text of these speeches.
• Living Room Candidate
  A history of presidential television campaign commercials, 1952-2020.

• New York Times - Historical File - complete fulltext of the New York Times from 1851-2006, including text of speeches.
• Video Encyclopedia of the 20th Century - contains digitized film and video clips covering the social, cultural, and political history of the 20th century from 1893 to 1989, including speeches of leading figures.
• Vital Speeches of the Day - prints in full the important addresses of contemporary leaders of public opinion from 1934 to the present, with an emphasis on government and business leaders. From 1934-1999 look in the microform area under microfilm MF165. From 1999 to 2003 look in the Periodicals Collection under PN 6121 V52. A cumulative index covering 1934-1959 is available. Vital Speeches of the Day is also available through the Academic Search Elite database from 1985 to the present.
• Newspapers are also a good source for speeches. Check either the same day or a day or two after the speech is delivered in various newspapers in the Periodicals Collection for recent issues or in the Microform area for older issues.