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

Before Stonewall: The making of a Gay and Lesbian Community Before Stonewall: The making of a Gay and Lesbian Community
Date: 1/1/1985Call Number: V 318Format: DVDProducers: Greta SchillerCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
New York City's Stonewall Inn is regarded as the site of gay and lesbian liberation since it was at this bar that drag queens fought back against police June 27-28, 1969. This documentary uses extensive archival film, movie clips and personal recollections to construct an audiovisual history of the gay community before the Stonewall riots.
After Stonewall: A Quarter Century of Lesbian and Gay Activism After Stonewall: A Quarter Century of Lesbian and Gay Activism
Date: 1/1/1999Call Number: V 319Format: DVDProducers: John ScagliottiCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
Sequel to Before Stonewall. In the middle of the rejuvenated concentration on the hostile response toward gay visibility, the documentary looks at how far the gay community has come and at the elimination of homosexuality from the list of mental illnesses. Also recognizes that not that everything was revolutionized across the board. Melissa Etheridge narrated documentary deals with a period in history through individual memories and personal interviews including issues like Anita Bryant, Harvey Milk, AIDS, and the betrayal that was "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."
ACE Against the Odds ACE Against the Odds
Date: 1/1/1996Call Number: V 370Format: VHSProducers: Debra LevineCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
Women in the ACE Program - an inmate-operated counseling and educational program at Bedford Hills, NY designed both to prevent AIDS transmission and to provide counseling, guidance, and support for women inmates who have HIV or AIDS. ACE workshop in which participants conduct a role play that explores the dynamics of interactions among lesbian women involved in the feelings and decisions associated with AIDS transmission. ACE participants also provide services and support for AIDS patients who are in the prison hospital.
Gay and Lesbian Anti-Recruiters Gay and Lesbian Anti-Recruiters
Date: 9/25/1987Call Number: V 423Format: VHSCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
Gay and Lesbian anti recruiters protest outside of the Armed Forces Recruiting Center in downtown SF. Carrying banners stating “No Contra Aid” and “No US Intervention in Latin America” and chanting “We’re Dykes and Fags and we’re here to say: Down with the army and CIA” The protesters smear the door and windows of the recruitment center with yellow and red paint protesting US intervention in El Salvador and Honduras. G/L anti recruiters momentarily block the recruitment centers door, but they disperse as SFPD arrive.
ACT-UP - NY-DIVA TV ACT-UP - NY-DIVA TV
Date: 1/1/1988Call Number: V 424Format: VHSProducers: DIVA-TVCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
DIVA-TV, a media contingent of ACT-UP/NY - interviews with ACT-UP/NY members about their political dedication to the group, a teach-in put together by the women’s caucus of ACT-UP, a safe-sex video for HIV+ gay men, and the disruption of the 1988 National Republican Convention.
Gay and Lesbian Anti-Recruiters - Raw Material Gay and Lesbian Anti-Recruiters - Raw Material
Date: 9/25/1987Call Number: V 425Format: VHSCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
Gay and Lesbian anti recruiters protest outside of the Armed Forces Recruiting Center in downtown SF. Carrying banners stating “No Contra Aid” and “No US Intervention in Latin America” and chanting “We’re Dykes and Fags and we’re here to say: Down with the army and CIA” The protesters smear the door and windows of the recruitment center with yellow and red paint protesting US intervention in El Salvador and Honduras. G/L anti recruiters momentarily block the recruitment centers door, but they disperse as SFPD arrive.
Gay and Lesbian Anti-Recruiters - Long Version Gay and Lesbian Anti-Recruiters - Long Version
Date: 9/25/1987Call Number: V 426Format: VHSCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
Gay and Lesbian anti recruiters protest outside of the Armed Forces Recruiting Center in downtown SF. Carrying banners stating “No Contra Aid” and “No US Intervention in Latin America” and chanting “We’re Dykes and Fags and we’re here to say: Down with the army and CIA” The protesters smear the door and windows of the recruitment center with yellow and red paint protesting US intervention in El Salvador and Honduras. G/L anti recruiters momentarily block the recruitment centers door, but they disperse as SFPD arrive.
Women Against Imperialism-Demos Actions etc. Women Against Imperialism-Demos Actions etc.
Date: 1/1/1992Call Number: V 431Format: VHSCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
Mixture of edited pieces shown on cable news media. Coverage of demos/actions and raw footage. 1984 International Women's Day 700 women march connecting abortion rights to US intervention in Central America and the Phillipines and political prisoners. International Day to Stop Violence Against Women. Protest in Union Square chanting "Stop the silence no more violence women fight back!" Rallying support for FSLN and lesbian safe space. International Womens Day 1988 at Pleasanton Prison calling for the release of women political prisoners and all prisoners. Raw footage of arrests outside Armed Forces Recruitment Center in San Francisco. Protesting US intervention in Central America and the Phillipines. International Women's Day 1991 "Wall of Women Against War." Raw footage of women protesting US support of Israel and war in Iraq and Kuwait. International Women's Day 1992-"500 years of Resistance." March down Columbus Ave. in San Francisco to protest "Christopher Columbus Day."
Visionary Voices Visionary Voices
Date: 1/1/1992Call Number: V 433Format: VHSProducers: Penny RosenwaaserCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
Conference of writers published in Visionary Voices: Women on Power. Contains discussions of interracial coalition building, lesbian identity, race, spirituality, shamanism, anti-imperialism, indigenous struggle, and women's power. Features Papusa Molina of Women Against Racism and Winona LaDuke.
International Women's Day - Presidio Protest International Women's Day - Presidio Protest
Date: 3/8/1984Call Number: V 475Format: VHSCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
March and protest organized by Women Against Imperialism in Presidio of SF. Women call for solidarity with Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front and the Frente Sandinista de Liberacion Nacional, Puerto Rican Independence, and an end to genocide in Palestine.