FRASER Marks 20 Years as a Treasure Trove of Economic History

Twenty years ago, the St. Louis Fed launched FRASER^®, the Federal Reserve Archival System for Economic Research. The digital library was intended to provide access to the historical documents from which data in the St. Louis Fed’s free economic database, FRED^®, were sourced. In the early years, the collection focused on economic indicators, various statistical releases, including bank statistics, as well as historical U.S. Senate documents. These days, FRASER is known worldwide as a treasure trove of economic history.

A section of 75 Yrs. of American Finance: A Graphic Presentation, 1861 to 1935 created by L. Merle Hostetler, 1936.

In the years after its formation, FRASER expanded to include historical collections that were relevant for reasons other than the data they contained. It quickly became a go-to source for trusted economic information, and the historical context behind it, for researchers, economists, librarians, teachers and students. (Check out our July 3, 2024, Inside FRASER blog post for a look at some of our favorite treasures of economic history that we’ve added to the site in each of the past 20 years.)*

Today, FRASER's extensive collections include a vast amount of economic data, academic research, policy briefs, economic research papers and archival materials. Its collections span many fields of study, from monetary policy to international finance.

The original FRASER logo, 2004. See the site as it appeared in September 2004 via the Wayback Machine.

Open Economic History

One of the key organizing philosophies for the FRASER team has been “open economic history.” For FRASER, “open” has more than one meaning.

Since its inception, FRASER has been a free, open-access resource, without the pop-ups, paywalls and login prompts that can limit the ability to interact with historical documents. FRASER’s user-focused design and its mission statement dovetail with an experience that prioritizes ease and approachability for all users, from researchers with Ph.D.s in economics to high school students writing papers about inflation. The FRASER team has identified and digitized collections of paper archival materials, working with partners nationwide to extend access to these resources to anyone with an internet connection.

Women and children working in an oyster and shrimp cannery, 1922. From the Children’s Bureau publication Child Labor and the Work of Mothers in Oyster and Shrimp Canning Communities on the Gulf Coast.

Openness, both in economic history and in FRASER’s collection practices, also refers to the people and experiences reflected in the collections. FRASER’s vast amount of historical material offers glimpses into different points of time and subjects such as:

• The economic contributions of women, children and people of color
• Labor conditions in different industries
• Access to banking and credit

Through its 20 years of collecting, FRASER has expanded to offer a broad and transparent view of how culture, class and race have impacted economic history.

Education and Enrichment

FRASER has had the good luck to grow up alongside the St. Louis Fed’s award-winning economic education department. With its wealth of primary source materials, FRASER is uniquely positioned to support economic literacy and foster economic understanding among students, educators and the public.

A Historical Inquiry with Population Maps activity allows students to view maps depicting the best data available for the U.S. population at the time, such as this map from 1870.

One such collaboration is the popular Barbie in the Labor Force lesson,Learn more about the Barbie in the Labor Force lesson from “A Lesson in Barbie Labor Economics,” the July 24, 2023, episode of The Indicator from Planet Money podcast. which uses FRASER’s collection of Women’s Bureau bulletins to demonstrate the growth of women’s share of the labor force from 1920-60. Within FRASER, students have the opportunity to investigate economic eras, build data literacy, and research economics in wartime. Lessons using FRASER collections empower learners to extract insights from documents created over a century ago, enhancing their connection to the past.

The resources in FRASER offer a glimpse into parts of our history that may be seldom seen. While most of us can conjure up images of the Roaring Twenties era, FRASER offers a deeper understanding of that and other times: What were the rules for teenagers in public dance halls, and how were they enforced? During the world wars, how did Americans at home contribute, how were their opportunities affected, and how did they rebuild? What sort of child care was available to migrant workers during the Great Depression? How have pandemics and racial unrest shaped the economy? In times of turmoil and uncertainty, what decisions has the Federal Reserve made, and why? Behind these questions are answers that can be found in FRASER. These collections and more prove that, beyond the numbers, the heartbeat of human experience is an important part of what drives choices and influences the course of history.

Looking Ahead

From left, Genevieve Podleski, Delaney McCoy, Jona Whipple, Katrina Stierholz and Pamela Campbell are the people behind FRASER.

In recent years, FRASER has expanded beyond its initial scope and into new territory. In 2023, FRASER added more than 500,000 pages to its collections. The FRASER team also has enhanced select user tools, most recently with a new image viewer, which allows for a closer look at millions of historical documents, maps, data tables and archival papers.

FRASER has come a long way in the past 20 years. In celebrating this milestone, we reaffirm our commitment to economic education and accessibility, ensuring that FRASER’s legacy continues to inspire, inform and educate for years to come. Happy birthday, FRASER!

To keep up with FRASER developments and milestones, subscribe to the FRASER newsletter. To sign up, scroll down to the bottom of the FRASER home page and enter your email address.

*The sentence about an Inside FRASER blog post was added as a July 11, 2024, update.

**This post was updated Aug. 1, 2024, to include news about the Distinguished Service Award.

Note

1. Learn more about the Barbie in the Labor Force lesson from “A Lesson in Barbie Labor Economics,” the July 24, 2023, episode of The Indicator from Planet Money podcast.