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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 We are also in the process of scanning and uploading thousands of historical documents which enrich our media holdings.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.

Political Prisoners

There is no standardized definition to describe a political prisoner. Here are two good definitions:

Political Prisoner- A man or woman who is imprisoned, either awaiting trail, serving a sentence or in any other status, who is incarcerated by reason of acts, associations or beliefs in favor of self-determination for racially, sexually and nationally oppressed peoples, against United States foreign and military policy, or domestic policy of the United States or its corporations which contribute to the impoverishment, suffering and repression of poor and working people and racially and nationally oppressed peoples. 

The term political prisoner is not limited to those who are incarcerated merely for holding beliefs or having political affiliations. It encompasses those who have taken actions, either symbolic or tactical, which violate laws of the United States in pursuit of their political goals. The term political prisoner is used generically to include those who describe themselves as Prisoners of War and demand treatment under the Geneva Convention Protocols I and II. 

Political Prisoner- A term describing anyone who is incarcerated by reason of his or her commitment to struggle against injustices committed against the people by the United States, including racism, inequitable distribution of wealth and failure to provide a descent standard of living for all of its children, the genocide of indigenous peoples and cultures, colonialism, nuclear militarism, and support for anti-democratic and repressive regimes across the world.

Political Prisoner/Prisoner of War Additional Resources:

Subscribe to the Freedom Archives Prisoner News Email List:

http://freedomarchives.org/mailman/listinfo/ppnews_freedomarchives.org

Alliance for Global Justice:

https://afgj.org/politicalprisonersusa

The Jericho Movement:

http://thejerichomovement.com/

Anarchist Black Cross Federation:

http://www.abcf.net/

Subcollections

  • 1990 Tribunal
    1990 Tribunal
    The 1990 Tribunal brought together activists and organizations from across the globe working on issues of political repression and the human rights of political prisoners and prisoners of war held in US prisons and jails.
  • Atmore-Holman Brothers
    Atmore-Holman Brothers
    The Atmore-Holman Brothers collection documents efforts from 1969 to the late 1970's to improve conditions in Alabama's prisons and shed light on the murders of prisoner movement leaders.
  • Black Liberation Movement Prisoners
    Black Liberation Movement Prisoners
    This collection contains materials on political prisoners incarcerated as a result of their participation in the Black Liberation Movement.
  • California Prison Struggles
    California Prison Struggles
    This collection contains materials related to prisoner-led struggles inside of California's prisons between 1965 and 1980 concentrated on the Folsom Prison Strike and the cases of the Soledad Brothers and the San Quentin Six.
  • Native American Movement Prisoners
    Native American Movement Prisoners
    This collection contains materials on Native American Political Prisoners such as Leonard Peltier, Patrick "Hooty" Croy, Norma Jean Croy, and others.
  • Political Prisoners- General Info
    Political Prisoners- General Info
    This collection contains general information about political prisoners in the United States.
  • Pontiac Brothers
    Pontiac Brothers
    This collection contains comprehensive organizational materials from the Pontiac Prison Support Coalition (PPSC) who organized in support of the 31 prisoners put on death row following the 1978 Pontiac Prison Rebellion in Pontiac, Illinois.
  • White Anti-Imperialist Prisoners
    White Anti-Imperialist Prisoners
    This collection contains materials from people imprisoned for their work in anti-imperialist organizations and political movements.
  • Women Political Prisoners
    Women Political Prisoners
    This collection contains materials about women political prisoners and prisoners of war held in the United States and the struggles to free them.
  • San Francisco 8 (SF8)
    San Francisco 8 (SF8)
    The San Francisco 8 (SF8) were former members and associates of the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense who refused to testify before a San Francisco Grand Jury investigating a police shooting that took place in 1971.

Documents

Face Reality Face Reality
Year: 1990Format: FlyerCollection: 1990 Tribunal
Advertisement for 12/7/1990 Tribunal in NYC
Verdict of the Special International Tribunal on the Violation of Human Rights of Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War in United States Prisons and Jails Verdict of the Special International Tribunal on the Violation of Human Rights of Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War in United States Prisons and Jails
Date: 12/7/1990Volume Number: Dec 7-10Format: MonographCollection: 1990 Tribunal
Outline of Judgment and Verdict: Constitution of the Tribunal; Overview; The Right to Self-Determination (Native Americans, Puerto Ricans, Black People in the United States, Mexican People (Chicano) in the United States; Puerto Rican Prisoners of War; White North American Opponents of United States Government Policies; Criminalization and the Denial of the Rule of Law; Torture and Cruel, inhumane and Degrading Treatment; Verdict.
Statement from the US Poltical Prisoners to Nelson Mandela, Deputy VP of the African National Congress Statement from the US Poltical Prisoners to Nelson Mandela, Deputy VP of the African National Congress
Author: Dhoruba Bin WahadDate: 6/21/1990Volume Number: 21-JunFormat: StatementCollection: 1990 Tribunal
Statement to Nelson Mandela from Dhoruba Bin Wahad.
Political Prisoners in the United States: The Hidden Reality Political Prisoners in the United States: The Hidden Reality
Authors: Michael E. Deutsch and Jan SuslerFormat: MonographCollection: 1990 Tribunal
Who are the political prisoners and prisoners of war; the criminalization of political activists: the new repression; conclusion.
The Tribunal on Violations of Human Rights of Political/POW Prisoners in U.S.A. The Tribunal on Violations of Human Rights of Political/POW Prisoners in U.S.A.
Author: Luis Nieves-FalconYear: 1990Format: StatementCollection: 1990 Tribunal
Face Reality: There Are Political Prisoners in the U.S.A. Face Reality: There Are Political Prisoners in the U.S.A.
Publisher: Freedom NowYear: 1990Format: FlyerCollection: 1990 Tribunal
Flyer for the Special International Tribunal on the Human Rights Violations of political prisoners and prisoners of war in the USA.
1990 Tribunal Fundraiser and Registration Letter 1990 Tribunal Fundraiser and Registration Letter
Authors: Margaret Randall, Rafael Cancel Miranda, Daniel BerriganDate: 9/15/1990Volume Number: 15-SepFormat: CompilationCollection: 1990 Tribunal
Packet containing general and registration information concerning the 1990 Tribunal.
Dr. Luis Nieves Falcon letter to supporters Dr. Luis Nieves Falcon letter to supporters
Author: Dr. Luis Nieves FalconDate: 10/1/1990Volume Number: 1-OctFormat: CorrespondenceCollection: 1990 Tribunal
Letter asking for assistance dissiminating information about the conference.
Correspondence to Judge Benjamin Miller Correspondence to Judge Benjamin Miller
Author: James ThompsonPublisher: Illinoise Governor's OfficeFormat: CorrespondenceCollection: Pontiac Brothers
Regarding trial of the Pontiac Brothers. Letter of contest to the dismissal of over 400 defense motions before beginning of trial.
Pontiac Prisoners Support Coalition Newsletter No. 13 Pontiac Prisoners Support Coalition Newsletter No. 13
Publisher: Pontiac Prisoners Support CoalitionDate: 12/1980Volume Number: No. 13Format: PeriodicalCollection: Pontiac Brothers
Inside: A Day in Court; Jury Selection: The Frame-Up Continues; SF Demo; Who's in Contempt?; From the Kamps (A Letter from Pontiac Brother Michael Evans); The Good, The Bad and Channel 7; The Pontiac Frame-Up; Who We Are; Victory: Case Dismissed.