Freedom Archives Even Small Donations Help!

Hi Friends,

Its been a great year for the Archives! Check out our end of the year letter below and please donate if you can, it really makes a difference!

To give on line click here!

This coming year will mark the 14th year of the formal existence of the Freedom Archives!

This past year has been filled with exciting activity. Thanks to you — and solely to you — we’ve grown in a steady way to become a well-established, widely-known, and highly-respected organization.

2013 Highlights!

Chile Solidarity. We are still glowing with the warm feelings from an event held on September 11th that spanned so many years commemorating the 40th anniversary of the fascist coup in Chile and the worldwide solidarity movements that grew from it. The event took place at La Peña in Berkeley, a community institution and gathering place that grew from that worldwide wave. We premiered a video with renowned Chilean author Isabel Allende, along with some moving poetry and powerful music. The video can be seen on our website (www.freedomarchives.org) in both English and Spanish.

Herman Bell. This year we completed a video about long-time political prisoner Herman Bell featuring actor Danny Glover and members of Herman’s family, including moving footage from his two granddaughters. As a member of the Black Panther Party and more recently the San Francisco 8, he has been imprisoned since 1973 and is now parole eligible. This video was central to his launching of a new website at: http://www.freehermanbell.org and will help build support for his parole campaign this coming February, 2014. Please support Herman by checking out his website.

Until All Are Free We Are All Imprisoned. For the 47th anniversary event of the Black Panther Party, held in Santa Rosa in October, the Archives put together a booklet with messages from former Panthers still imprisoned; many subjected to tortuous conditions, including enduring many years of solitary confinement. That booklet can also be found on our blogsite.

Our New Book. Along with print publication of Out of Control – A Fifteen Year Battle Against Control Unit Prisons by Nancy Kurshan, we constructed a web-version of the book — with links to documents, photographs, videos and audio materials that deepen and amplify the text (http://www.freedomarchives.org/Out_of_Control/01_introduction.html). This history is at the root of the recent upsurge and expansion of hunger strikes in the Georgia, Ohio, and California prisons. We sent free copies of the printed book to prisoners throughout the US, in particular to leaders of the historic California Prison Hunger Strike. During recent legal visits, many prisoners spoke of the book’s usefulness and inspirational impact. Because of our commitment to prison justice work, we continue to play an active role with the Prison Hunger Strike Solidarity Coalition’s media committee, writing articles, press releases, and op-eds, and documenting solidarity mobilizations outside prisons.

So, as you can tell, we’ve been busy! But don’t worry, that hasn’t stopped the flow of new projects and ideas brewing for the future. We welcome your suggestions and deeply appreciate your contributions. This end of the year funding appeal is an essential component of our financial planning — so please give generously.

To give on line click here!

PS— If you live in the Bay Area you can also benefit the Freedom Archives by taking your second-hand items to Community Thrift, 623 Valencia St. in San Francisco. Your donations not only support this non-profit thrift store, but also our work. Mention the Freedom Archives when you drop off your items!

Categories: Experiences at the Archives, From the Archives...Tags: donation