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 We are also in the process of scanning and uploading thousands of historical documents which enrich our media holdings.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

May 19th Communist Organization

The May 19th Communist Organization was based in New York City and derived its name from the birth-date of Ho Chi Minh and El Hajj Malik Shabazz (Malcolm X). Their principle task was providing both political and material support for wars of national liberation, outside and within the borders of the US.

The organization operated under the belief that the principal contradiction in the world was between national liberation struggles and US led imperialism. Members were committed to the principles of Third World leadership, armed struggle as a fundamental tool among oppressed peoples waging liberation struggles, and women's liberation being an integral part of the fight against imperialism. 

Subcollections

  • Moncada Library
    Moncada Library
    The Moncada Library was an anti-imperialist community organizing center and lending library in Park Slope, New York. It was a project of the May 19th Communist Organization.

Documents

Free the RNA-11 Free the RNA-11
Publisher: The Moncada Library and May 19th Communist OrganizationFormat: FlyerCollection: Moncada Library
Flyer for a benefit for the National RNA-11 Defense Committee. The reverse side includes information and analysis on the charges waged against the RNA-11.
The Spook Who Sat by the Door and Potemkin The Spook Who Sat by the Door and Potemkin
Publisher: The Moncada LibraryFormat: FlyerCollection: Moncada Library
Upcoming films to be shown at the Moncada Library
A Luta Continua and Women of Telecommunications Station #6 A Luta Continua and Women of Telecommunications Station #6
Publisher: The Moncada Library and Women's Committee Against GenocideFormat: FlyerCollection: Moncada Library
Moncada Library film showings with speakers and discussion
Community Bulletin from the Moncada Library Community Bulletin from the Moncada Library
Publisher: The Moncada LibraryFormat: FlyerCollection: Moncada Library
Informational Bulletin about racist attacks and intimidation by White vigilantes and the Police.
Pintar un Mural con el Programa Para Jovenes de la Biblioteca Moncada Pintar un Mural con el Programa Para Jovenes de la Biblioteca Moncada
Publisher: The Moncada LibraryFormat: FlyerCollection: Moncada Library
An Open Call to the Park Slope Community: STOP RACIST VIGILANTE PATROLS! GET SCAN OUT OF PARK SLOPE! An Open Call to the Park Slope Community: STOP RACIST VIGILANTE PATROLS! GET SCAN OUT OF PARK SLOPE!
Publisher: The Moncada Library and John Brown Anti-Klan CommitteeFormat: PamphletCollection: Moncada Library
Phamlet with information about the creation of SCAN and their activites in Park Slope.
How to Select a Wall How to Select a Wall
Format: MonographCollection: Moncada Library
This is a collection of suggestions and information on mural making and the process of mural creation by a collective.
Paint a Mural with the Young People's Program of the Moncada Library Paint a Mural with the Young People's Program of the Moncada Library
Publisher: The Moncada LibraryFormat: FlyerCollection: Moncada Library
S.C.A.N. Out of Park Slope: Fight White Supremacy Demonstrate Against Slope Citizens Anti-Crime Network S.C.A.N. Out of Park Slope: Fight White Supremacy Demonstrate Against Slope Citizens Anti-Crime Network
Publisher: The Moncada Library and John Brown Anti-Klan CommitteeVolume Number: 24-MarFormat: FlyerCollection: Moncada Library
Black History/Black Liberation Month Black History/Black Liberation Month
Publisher: The Moncada Library and John Brown Anti-Klan CommitteeVolume Number: 13-FebFormat: FlyerCollection: Moncada Library
Flyer for Black and New Afrikan events on Feb.13th and for demonstration at FBI headquaters on Feb.19th, with graphics.