As early as March 1962, the History Institute of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, following the instructions of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, began to organize efforts to compile historical materials on the May Thirtieth Movement. Within three years, a large amount of data was accumulated. Due to the influence of the Cultural Revolution, this work was halted for more than a decade and only resumed in 1978, gradually compiling and publishing the results. 'Historical Materials of the May Thirtieth Movement' is divided into three volumes, published by Shanghai People's Publishing House in November 1981, August 1986, and December 2005, with a total word count of 2.12 million. It is the first relatively systematic collection of materials on the May Thirtieth Movement after the founding of the People's Republic of China.

In terms of content, it can be divided into five major parts:

1. Important works, memories, and historical documents.
2. From the February strikes to the outbreak of the May Thirtieth Movement.
3. Activities of various classes and groups in Shanghai during the May Thirtieth Movement.
4. The spread of the May Thirtieth Movement nationwide, overseas Chinese, and international support.
5. The repression and sabotage of the May Thirtieth Movement by imperialism and warlord governments.

The book draws extensively from a wide range of sources, including more than a dozen Chinese and foreign newspapers such as 'Rehe Daily,' 'Republic of China Daily,' 'Shen Bao,' 'Sin Wan Pao ,' 'The China Press,' and 'North China Daily Herald,' as well as more than forty Chinese and foreign journals such as 'Xiangdao,' 'China Youth,' 'Shanghai General Trade Union Daily,' 'Blood Tide Daily,' 'National News Weekly,' 'Illustrated Times,' 'Militzer's Review,' and 'China Economic Monthly,' as well as relevant books and archives.

早在1962年3月，上海社会科学院历史研究所就秉承中共上海市委的指示，开始组织力量编纂五卅运动的史料，3年间便积累了大量的资料。由于“文革”的影响，该工作停顿了十多年，直到1978年才重上轨道，并将成果陆续汇编出版。《五卅运动史料》分为3卷，分别由上海人民出版社出版于1981年11月、1986年8月、2005年12月，总字数达212万，是为建国后第一部较为系统的五卅运动资料书。若以内容划分，则可分为五大部分，即：一、重要论著、回忆和历史文件；二、从二月罢工到五卅运动的爆发；三、五卅运动中上海各阶级、各团体的活动；四、五卅运动在全国各地的展开、侨胞和国际支援；五、帝国主义、军阀政府对五卅运动的镇压和破坏。 该书取材广泛，包括《热血日报》、《民国日报》、《申报》、《新闻报》、《大陆报》、《字林西报》等十几种中外文报纸和《向导》、《中国青年》、《上海总工会日刊》、《血潮日报》、《国闻周报》、《图画时报》、《密勒氏评论报》、《中国经济月刊》等四十余种中外文期刊，以及相关书籍、档案。