Research Resources

Locating and accessing documents

Papers of James Monroe: Our searchable database of the catalogue of Monroe’s correspondence is now available online, as well as transcriptions of all published correspondence. Searches can also be conducted using the print edition of our catalogue, “A Comprehensive Catalogue of the Correspondence of James Monroe,” available through publisher ABC-Clio and most major College and University libraries, or Inter-Library Loan. Both Volume 1 and Volume 2 of the Catalogue are accessible, in limited form, via Google Books.  The catalogue does not reproduce the text of any documents and is not intended as a substitute for the originals.  Its purpose is to provide readers with a summary of the text of Monroe’s papers and to guide researchers to their location. We understand that access to Monroe’s writings is greatly limited, and are available for contact if additional information or assistance is needed.

– Additional topical content is available through our Media and Lectures sections –

Library of Congress: LC has digitized and catalogued their holdings of the letters of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, which include many letters to and from Monroe.  The microfilm reels of Monroe’s papers have also been digitized, but have not been itemized into individual letters. Their resource guide is also available to the public.

Founders Online: this project provides access to over 168,000 letters from the Founding Era, drawing from the collections of the Washington, Franklin, Jefferson, Madison, Adams and Hamilton letters and featuring a wide range of correspondents, including Monroe.

National Archives: the text of the Monroe Doctrine, a portion of Monroe’s 1823 annual message to Congress

Miller Center of Public Affairs (University of Virginia): links to  biographical and topical information as well as Presidential speeches

Connecting Presidential Collections: a centralized site for searching across Presidential collections, including Monroe, Washington, Jefferson, Adams, Madison and Jackson.

Library of Virginia: Guide to the James Monroe Executive Papers

Additional research links: