Search Help

How does this work?
There are many ways to search the collections of the Freedom Archives. Below is a brief guide that will help you conduct effective searches. Note, anytime you search for anything in the Freedom Archives, the first results that appear will be our digitized items. Information for items that have yet to be scanned or yet to be digitized can still be viewed, but only by clicking on the show link that will display the hidden (non-digitized) items. If you are interested in accessing these non-digitized materials, please email info@freedomarchives.org.
Exploring the Collections without the Search Bar
Under the heading Browse By Collection, you’ll notice most of the Freedom Archives’ major collections. These collections have an image as well as a short description of what you’ll find in that collection. Click on that image to instantly explore that specific collection.
Basic Searching
You can always type what you’re looking for into the search bar. Certain searches may generate hundreds of results, so sometimes it will help to use quotation marks to help narrow down your results. For instance, searching for the phrase Black Liberation will generate all of our holdings that contain the words Black and Liberation, while searching for “Black Liberation” (in quotation marks) will only generate our records that have those two words next to each other.
Advanced Searching
The Freedom Archives search site also understands Boolean search logic, specifcally AND/+, NOT/-, and OR operators. Click on this link for a brief tutorial on how to use Boolean search logic. Our search function also understands “fuzzy searches.” Fuzzy searches utilize the (*) and will find matches even when users misspell words or enter in only partial words for the search. For example, searching for liber* will produce results for liberation/liberate/liberates/etc.
Keyword Searches
You’ll notice that under the heading KEYWORDS, there are a number of words, phrases or names that describe content. Sometimes these are also called “tags.” Clicking on these words is essentially the same as conducting a basic search.
Welcome to the Freedom Archives' Digital Search Engine.The Freedom Archives contains over 12,000 hours of audio and video recordings which date from the late-1960s to the mid-90s and chronicle the progressive history of the Bay Area, the United States, and international movements. We are also in the process of scanning and uploading thousands of historical documents which enrich our media holdings. Our collection includes weekly news, poetry, music programs; in-depth interviews and reports on social and cultural issues; numerous voices from behind prison walls; diverse activists; and pamphlets, journals and other materials from many radical organizations and movements.

Gay Liberation Movement/LGBTQ Community

The Gay Liberation/LGBTQ Community collection contains articles, magazines, pamphlets,and periodicals from the late 1970s to the early 1990s. Most of this collection discusses the issues of the LGBTQ experience and community within the United States, specifically New York City and the San Francisco Bay Area but there are also several documents that are inclusive of international LGBTQ struggles. Most materials engage topics such as coming out, institutionalized homophobia, race and class struggles, sexuality, and the progression of inclusivity within the Gay Liberation movement and community.

Documents

On the History of Lesbianism On the History of Lesbianism
Author: Judy GrahnFormat: mp3Producers: Barbara Lubinski, Heber DreherCollection: Gay Liberation Movement/LGBTQ Community
Poet Judy Grahn recited one of her best known poems "On the History of Lesbianism".
Ache Periodical Ache Periodical
Publisher: AcheDate: 2/1990Volume Number: Vol. 2-1Format: PeriodicalCollection: Gay Liberation Movement/LGBTQ Community
Inside this Issue: A Letter From St. Croix; If All The World's A Stage; "Race: Myth & Reality"; "The Color Thing"; Profile: Lisbet; Jete: on Black Dance; "Dos Culturas/Two Cultures"; more.
Confronting Homophobia: Notes on Creating a Lesbian Community, A Matter of Life Confronting Homophobia: Notes on Creating a Lesbian Community, A Matter of Life
Author: Bernice GoodmanPublisher: National Gay Health CoalitionYear: 1978Call Number: Format: MonographCollection: Gay Liberation Movement/LGBTQ Community
Notes that call out cultural and societal myths that hinder growth in Lesbian communities. Goodman offers strong theoretical suggestions to further enable the liberation of or, at least, grow awareness in the Lesbian community.
Lavender Papers 2: an analysis of lesbian oppression Lavender Papers 2: an analysis of lesbian oppression
Author: N.Y. Women's SchoolPublisher: N.Y. Women's SchoolCall Number: Volume Number: 2Format: BookletCollection: Gay Liberation Movement/LGBTQ Community
An analytical paper on Lesbianism and Lesbian oppression by the NY Women's School - a school created by a grassroots women's organization. Aimed to deepen the critical analysis and understanding of Lesbian experiences and struggles, specifically discussing anti-imperialism; family; institutions of lesbian oppression: sexuality, roles, bars, homelife, law, school, prison, motherhood; and the lesbian movement.
Artificial Insemination: an alternative conception Artificial Insemination: an alternative conception
Publisher: Lesbian Health Information ProjectYear: 1979Call Number: Format: MonographCollection: Gay Liberation Movement/LGBTQ Community
"Jack" and "Jill" share their experience with artificial insemination - either as a host of insemination or the donor of sperm. They offer their gained wisdom - specifically from their Lesbian and Gay perspective - to the Lesbian and Gay community members who are considering insemination.
1993 Dyke March - San Francisco (video clip) 1993 Dyke March - San Francisco (video clip)
Year: 1993Call Number: null Format: Video ClipProducers: Lisa RudmanCollection: Gay Liberation Movement/LGBTQ Community
Interviews with participants and march footage from the 1993 Dyke March in San Francisco, California.