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. 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.

Search Results

Kathleen Cleaver with Kiilu Nyasha Kathleen Cleaver with Kiilu Nyasha
Date: 8/25/1994Call Number: KN 005Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Kiilu NyashaProgram: interview for airCollection: Geronimo Pratt
Struggle By Kathleen Cleaver to represent Geronimo Ji Jaga at his parole hearing, Geronimo's case, COINTELPRO
Geronimo Pratt Interview Geronimo Pratt Interview
Date: 10/26/1992Call Number: PM 087Format: CassetteCollection: Geronimo Pratt
Pratt talks about his life pre Black Panther Party: growing up in Louisiana, family life, KKK, service in Vietnam and enrollment in UCLA. At UCLA he is roommates with Black Panther Party Minister of Defense Bunchy Carter. After Bunchy Carter’s murder Pratt takes his place. He talks about government repression, COINTELPRO, relations with other New Left Organizations and role of women and sexism in the Party. Then the interviews follows his arrest and conviction of murder in 1970, he was in the hole from 70-’78. Pratt discuss becoming a New Afrikan, the role of armed national liberation struggle and role of struggle within the legislative realm. He discusses youth anger and education in the 90’s, LA rebellions, prison industrial complex, and political prisoners.
G is Free G is Free
Date: 6/10/1997Call Number: V 007Format: VHSCollection: Geronimo Pratt
Approximately 10 separate news blitzes/interviews about Geronimo Pratt’s release from prison. Footage of him addressing the judge and maintaining his innocence. Most news blurbs discuss Pratt’s history in the Vietnam War, membership in LA chapter of the Black Panther Party, and his being framed by the chief witness, Julius Butler, an FBI and police informant in the murder case of Carolyn Olson, a Santa Monica schoolteacher. Shots of his welcoming back to Marin City, with family, friends and community members, anxious for their “hero” to return. One later news clipping is an interview with Pratt on the one year anniversary of his release. Again Pratt openly discusses the corruption of the FBI and their targeting of the Black Panther Party.
Black Panthers- Geronimo Ji Jaga Black Panthers- Geronimo Ji Jaga
Date: 1/14/1987Call Number: JG/ 057Format: CassetteProducers: Judy GerberProgram: interview with GeronimoCollection: Geronimo Pratt
This is an interview with Geronimo Ji Jaga, a Black Panther leader who was imprisoned for over 20 years at San Quentin prison, charged with a murder in Los Angeles, even though FBI surveillance showed him to be in the Bay Area at the time.
Geronimo Pratt Interview (1 of 2) Geronimo Pratt Interview (1 of 2)
Call Number: PM 224Format: CassetteCollection: Geronimo Pratt
An extensive interview with Geronimo Pratt. Explains how and why he is in prison, details about his murder case and the role of the FBI; his history as a soldier in Vietnam; his involvement with the Black Panther Party and their ideology. Emphasis on psychological warfare the study of which has been overlooked by the peoples’ movement. Also explains the general conditions at San Quentin, younger prisoners, his spiritual growth through mediation, fasting, and the necessity of physical strength and mental strength.
Geronimo Pratt Interview (2 of 2) Geronimo Pratt Interview (2 of 2)
Call Number: PM 225AFormat: Cass ACollection: Geronimo Pratt
Pratt interview with intimate about his history, and family.
Black August Revisted Black August Revisted
Call Number: KP 196Format: DATProducers: Kiilu NyashaCollection: Geronimo Pratt
Interview with Geronimo Pratt by Reggie Major at Mule Creek State Prison shortly before Pratt was denied parole after having spent 24 years in prison. Falsely convicted of murder and robbery in 1970 as part of J. Edgar Hoover's COINTELPRO program to destroy Black Liberation groups in the late 1960's, Pratt spent 27 years in California State Prisons. In the interview Pratt talks about his conviction, his eight years of solitary confinement and the transformational power he sees in contemporary street gangs.
Geronimo/Mumia Event Geronimo/Mumia Event
Date: 8/16/1997Call Number: PM 352Format: Cass A & BCollection: Geronimo Pratt
Rally held at Mission High School in San Francisco to commemorate the release of Geronimo ji Jaga Pratt and to demand the release of Mumia Abu Jamal. Speakers include Geronimo Pratt who thanks people for their support. Geronimo compares his case and Mumia's and recognizes Afeni Shakur who speaks about Geronimo, Mumia and her son, Tupac.
Geronimo Pratt Press Conference Geronimo Pratt Press Conference
Date: 2/27/1987Call Number: V 503Format: Hi-8Producers: Lisa RudmanCollection: Geronimo Pratt
Bobby Seale & Stuart Hanlon discuss Geronimo Pratt and how COINTELPRO framed him in the murder of a woman in Santa Monica. Seale also discusses his current political activity, his time in the Black Panther Party, and his next venture in cooking "Barbeque'n With Bobby."
National People’s Congress - Attica Event National People’s Congress - Attica Event
Date: 9/20/1997Call Number: PM 384Format: Cass A & BCollection: Geronimo Pratt
Includes an update on Leonard Peltier by the National People’s Congress, the American Indian Movement and the Bring Peltier Home Committee. Keynote address is by Geronimo Ji Jaga, just released from prison three months previously. He recounts his own conditions and experiences in prison, how much of his own education was facilitated by his cellmates and the importance of education in the revolutionary struggle. He talks about creating the prison lawyers manual and assisting fellow comrades in filing suits and knowing and understanding prisoners’ rights. Geronimo also focuses on the importance of using international law to validate revolutionary activity, framing the struggle in an international lens and the necessity of continuing to approach the United Nations. Ji Jaga touches on solidarity and explains to the audience that all races can be comrades in the struggle… furthermore detailing how adept the “powers that be” are in creating fictitious organizations that perpetuate divisions. Finally, Geronimo speaks on the essential role that women have played in the struggle and gives updates on the status of various political prisoners being held around the United States.