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

Inez Garcia Trial Inez Garcia Trial
Call Number: PM 176Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsCollection: Political Prisoner Periodicals
Poem about the trial of Inez Garcia
Historical Perspectives Historical Perspectives
Date: 11/15/1991Call Number: PM 249Format: CassetteProducers: Prison Radio ProjectProgram: Can't Jail the Spirit #1Collection: Political Prisoner Periodicals
Discussion of definitions of political prisoners and the US government's denial of their existence in the US. Readings from Harriet Jacob's "Diary of a Slave Girl", from Assata Shakur's "Assata", and from Emma Goldman, in addition to discussions from Dr. Chinasole from San Francisco State University, and a question and answer segment with Gloria Alonzo of the National Committee to Free Puerto Rican Political Prisoners, Dr. Candace Falk, Dr. Jose Lopez from the Movimento de Revolucion Nacional, and former political prisoner Alvaro Luna Hernandez from the Jailhouse Conveyor.
Sparks Fly & Women Political Prisoners Sparks Fly & Women Political Prisoners
Date: 1/1/1111Call Number: PM 281Format: Cass A & BProducers: Prison Activist Resource CenterProgram: On the OutsideCollection: Political Prisoner Periodicals
Features a taped segment of Sparks Fly, an event to raise awareness about women political prisoners. Also includes interviews with an attorney for Norma Jean Croy, with Corcoran prisoner Ezra Davis on medical neglect, and with Jose Lopez of the National Committee to Free Puerto Rican POWs.
Sara Jane Olson event Sara Jane Olson event
Date: 6/29/2001Call Number: PM 340Format: Cass A & BCollection: Political Prisoner Periodicals
A public appearance by Sara Jane Olson just prior to being sentenced to prison in which people discuss political prisoners and fighting state repression - both politically and through the courts.
The impact of the drug war on women The impact of the drug war on women
Date: 1/1/1998Call Number: PM 357Format: CassetteCollection: Political Prisoner Periodicals
UC Berkeley presentation on how drug laws affect women. Gus Smith talks about the experience of his daughter, Kemba Smith. Kemba was sentenced to 20-years because of her involvement with her boyfriend, Peter Hall, who was a drug dealer. Although see had never sold or even used drugs she was convicted of conspiracy. Also focuses heavily on the subject of mandatory sentences
Alicia Rodriguez in FCI Dublin Alicia Rodriguez in FCI Dublin
Date: 8/14/1999Call Number: PM 445Format: Cass A & BProducers: Art SatoProgram: In Your EarCollection: Political Prisoner Periodicals
Art Sato interviews Alicia Rodriguez about the Puerto Rican independence movement and being a prisoner of war and political prisoner.