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

Medical Neglect, Control Units, Women in Prison - Part 1 Medical Neglect, Control Units, Women in Prison - Part 1
Date: 10/21/1996Call Number: CD 788Format: CDProducers: Prison Activist Resource Center - PARCProgram: On the OutsideCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
Judy Greenspan, director of HIV/AIDS in Prison Project, discusses compassionate release and women with AIDS. Also Catherine Campbell, an attorney with California Prison Focus, discusses the culture of violence at prisons, verbal provocations by the guards, mandates to confine members of rival gangs in same yard. Jean Stewart from the Disabled Prisoners' Justice Fund discusses the Armstrong case and the growing, neglected population of disabled prisoners and its causes. Karen Shain from Legal Services for Prisoners with Children speaks about women in prison and the class action law suits that are filed for work release, prenatal care, mother and infant programs, HIV. Herman Bell of the New York Three and former member of the Black Panther Party, discusses the need for support of political prisoners.
Message from Political Prisoners Message from Political Prisoners
Date: 4/23/1992Call Number: CD 811Format: CDCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
A compilation of statements by political prisoners speaking out against the proliferation of control units in the US.
The True Purpose of Imprisonment The True Purpose of Imprisonment
Date: 9/21/1991Call Number: CD 812Format: Cass A & BCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
Jane Henderson on the Bush system of imprisonment and its demographics, the racist application of the death penalty, and the profit chain of the US Prison Industrial Complex. Ricardo Romero on border patrol, the parasitic system of power, the effect of drugs on struggle and the migration towards fascism. Al-Jundi speaks on control units and sensory deprivation.
CEML Ex-Prisoner Panel and Discussion CEML Ex-Prisoner Panel and Discussion
Date: 3/16/1990Call Number: CD 814Format: Cass A & BProducers: Committee to End the Marion LockdownCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
Former political prisoners talking about their struggles, cases and the cruel policies and procedures of control unit prisons.
Mass Incarceration and Control Units in Prisons: Mind Control or Social Control? CEML #2 Mass Incarceration and Control Units in Prisons: Mind Control or Social Control? CEML #2
Date: 10/21/1995Call Number: CD 801Format: CDProducers: Committee to End the Marion LockdownCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
A program sponsored by the Committee to End the Marion Lockdown (CEML), an organization dedicated to closing the control units at Marion Prison. Nancy Kurshan of CEML introduces Jose Lopez, Executive Director of the Puerto Rican Cultural Center, member of the Movimiento de Liberacion Nacional, and brother of political prisoner Oscar Lopez Rivera. He discusses the connections between American colonialism/imperialism and the extensive use of prisons in the US. This tape is a continuation of PM 336. Transcript available for download.
Florence Prison and the Fight to Free Oscar Lopez Florence Prison and the Fight to Free Oscar Lopez
Date: 1/20/1995Call Number: CD 802Format: CDProducers: Judy GerberProgram: A Defiant HeartCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
Lugo Lopez and Alejandro Molina of the National Committee to Free Puerto Rican Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War (Chicago) protesting the imprisonment of Oscar Lopez, sentenced to 75+ years on seditious conspiracy charges for his political work in Puerto Rico.