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

The Life of Fannie Lou Hamer The Life of Fannie Lou Hamer
Date: 1/5/1979Call Number: KP 018Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProgram: Life of Fannie Lou HamerCollection: Voices from the South
This recording focuses on Fannie Lou Hamer, known as the lady who was "sick and tired of being sick and tired." This is a tribute to her life and work with Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party and the struggls she engaged in throughout her life.
Interview with woman from Selma, Alabama on election fraud. Interview with woman from Selma, Alabama on election fraud.
Call Number: KP 070Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsCollection: Voices from the South
Interview with unknown woman on election in Selma, Alabama, “Joe Gotta Go” campaign, voter fraud against African-Americans and tactics to keep their vote from counting. She recalls Dr. King’s “I stood on the bridge” speech and asks, “Have we made any progress?”
This Little Light of Mine - Part 4 This Little Light of Mine - Part 4
Call Number: KP 500Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Chris Koch, Dale MinorCollection: Voices from the South
This Little Light of Mine, a documentary series, discusses the Summer Project, sponsored by COFO and SNCC, aimed to organize and educate Southern black communities through Freedom Schools and Voter Registration Drives. The momentum of these efforts was sustained by the help of Civil Rights Volunteers, many of whom were college students from the North, who faced violence, intimidation, jailing and sometimes death.
This Little Light of Mine - Part 5 This Little Light of Mine - Part 5
Call Number: KP 501Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Chris Koch, Dale MinorCollection: Voices from the South
Staughton Lynd and John Volcheck discuss their involvement with the Freedom Schools in Mississippi and the school’s power as a vehicle for community inspiration, education and empowerment.
This Little Light of Mine - Part 7 This Little Light of Mine - Part 7
Call Number: KP 502Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Chris Koch, Dale MinorCollection: Voices from the South
In a discussion of Voter Registration attempts in Mississippi, the personal tales of individuals such as Fannie Lou Hammer are highlighted to demonstrate the struggle for Black citizens to register to vote and fully participate in the democratic process.
This Little Light of Mine - Part 11 This Little Light of Mine - Part 11
Call Number: KP 503Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Chris Koch, Dale MinorCollection: Voices from the South
A final summary of the end of the Summer of 1964 in Mississippi, highlighting the creation of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, increased Black political involvement and the attention that the Civil Rights and SNCC social and political tactics gained nationally.