Experience the Titanic’s Journey through Primary Resources

Worldwide newspaper coverage of the tragic event

Titanic Launch Ticket

Original ticket issued to Mr. David Moneypenny, a Harland & Wolff painter who worked on Titanic’s first-class accommodations.

Life Aboard the Titanic

Even though this is designed as a classroom resource, the original documents (enlarge to view) and the accompanying questions verify the various types of passengers who sailed on the Titanic. 

Eva Hart speaks about her memories of the Titanic . . survivor interview – video (13:06)

Eva Hart was 7 years old when she boarded the Titanic.  She survived with her mother, but her father was lost.  In this interview, Eva shares some of her memories.  She died at age 91 in 1996.

Shadow of the Titanic by Eva Hart

Her published written account.  Check your library.

A Titanic Survivor – video (4:00)

Millvena Dean was only 9 weeks old when she boarded the fateful ship; she was the youngest survivor…and the last survivor to die.  She died at age 97 in 2009.

Titanic survivors aboard the Carpathia

Titanic Survivors: What They Saw – video (4:14)

Interviews recorded in the 1970's and 1980's with survivors Frank Prentice (a crew member who jumped into the icy waters), Eva Hart, Edith Brown, Ruth Becker, and Edith Rosenbaum (an American returning home).

Eyewitness Account of the sinking of the Titanic, 1912

Titanic survivor and first-class passenger Dr. Washington Dodge provided a written statement about the Titanic tragedy aboard the Carpathia, the ship that rescued him and his family.  It was written shortly after his rescue on Carpathia stationery.  (Scroll down a bit and click on full transcript just above ‘Excerpt’ to read his entire account.)

First-Hand Accounts gathered by Southhampton City Council

Listen to recordings and read written accounts from passengers and stewards who survived the tragic sinking.

Titanic Primary Sources – pdf

A list of links to photographs, newspaper clippings, and handwritten accounts.  Scroll below the complete list for enlargements of each or click on the links to go to the original web sites.  Pop Quiz:  Can anyone identify the photo of the first lady on the list—Mrs. J.J. Brown?  What became her nickname after the sinking of the Titanic? Here is a transcript of her obituary from the New York Times in 1932.

New York Tribune, April 16, 1912

Front page coverage of the historic tragedy.  You can click above the page to convert to text or pdf for easier reading.  This is only one newspaper’s account.  The event received worldwide coverage.  Search for other newspaper’s accounts and see how they compare.

The Crash Scene

See the underwater remains of the ship sprawled across a thousand acres of the ocean floor through sonar imaging.  It shows that the ship broke in half before resting on the bottom of the Atlantic.  Click on the numbers to explore the debris field.

Unseen Titanic

National Geographic photos show the remains of the historic ship as it rests at the bottom of the sea as well as some of the recovered artifacts.

First-class passenger ticket on the Titanic

They Said It Couldn’t Sink

Within this article are several primary source documents to enlarge and read.

National Archives

Read some of the claims filed against the owners of the Titanic. 

List or Manifest of Alien Passengers for the Carpathia, June 18, 1912

Search the actual document listing passengers rescued by the Carpathia from the Titanic. 

Titanic Artifacts in the Museum’s Collection

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History has several artifacts related to the sinking of the Titanic.  This article only provides a list of items and information about them.  However, if you conduct an image search for an article by name, you might just see what it looks like.  One of the fascinating items and its story is the Bernice Palmer Ellis’ Kodak Brownie camera.