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

Paul Robeson Show Paul Robeson Show
Date: 7/31/1982Call Number: PR 010Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Emiliano EcheverriaProgram: Freedom Is A Constant StruggleCollection: Paul Robeson recordings
Robeson sings, with excerpts from interviews He speaks about the unity of struggles of all peoples, Socialism, the Bandung Conference and the struggle against colonialism and racism. Fernando Alegria recites Pablo Neruda’s poem “Ode to Paul Robeson” Same as CD 236
Paul Robeson Jr. Interview Paul Robeson Jr. Interview
Date: 1/1/1981Call Number: PR 039Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Lena VerinCollection: Paul Robeson recordings
Interview with Paul Robeson Jr about his efforts to bring his father’s life and legacy to public attention, through the establishment, in 1973, of the Paul Robeson Archives, subsequently donated to the Moreland Spingarn Collection at Howard University and the production of a 29-minute video documentary on Robeson narrated by Sidney Poitier. (1981) Interview is interspersed with a few Robeson songs, excerpts from Robeson speaking about Negro music, Chinese and East African folk musis and 11th century Czechoslovakian chorales. Robeson’s belief that a famous artist has a responsibility to speak out against injustice and for peace and about his belief in Socialism. Also, two excerpts from Othello. Same as CD 273, Track 1
Paul Robeson: Freedomways Tribute, on WBAI Paul Robeson: Freedomways Tribute, on WBAI
Date: 6/17/1965Call Number: PR 052Format: 1/4 3 3/4 ipsProducers: WBAIProgram: FreedomwaysCollection: Paul Robeson recordings
Paul Robeson: Freedomways Tribute, on WBAI Radio, contains event held on June 17, 1965, with Joanne Grant, emcee, describing Robeson’s life and reading from his speeches and interviews. Major excerpts from the 1963 Freedomways Welcome Home Tribute, when Robeson returned home after five years of traveling around the world. The 1963 event was his last public appearance. Includes the speeches of James Baldwin, Ruby Dee, Ossie Davis, John Lewis (Director of SNCC, Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee) and Robert Nemeroff, widower of Lorraine Hansberry, reading her tribute to Robeson. Also includes recording of Robeson reciting the last speech of Othello and a recording of him singing Old Man River. Same as CD 287, Track 1 (Robeson’s 25-minute speech at the 1963 event is on CD 287, Track 3.)
Paul Robeson speaks in Oakland Paul Robeson speaks in Oakland
Call Number: PR 063Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsCollection: Paul Robeson recordings
Out-takes: Excerpts from interview in Oakland, CA. Robeson speaks about the Council on African Affairs, his passport struggle, his love for the folk songs of many cultures, art as the reflection of a common reality and universal aspirations for a better life all over the world, his travels to socialist countries, and socialism. Also, excerpts from his speech on civil rights, the history of slavery and the abolition movement. (Some distortion on tape.) Same as CD 308, Track 1