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

Archives of Freedom - 1 Archives of Freedom - 1
Date: 3/15/1986Call Number: FI 069Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Lincoln Bergman, Emiliano Echeverria, Claude MarksProgram: Freedom Is A Constant StruggleCollection: Freedom is a Constant Struggle
This was a rebroadcast of a show that took place in September 1971, features a report on the death of Richard Oakes, Native American leader at Alcatraz.
Marion Prison Marion Prison
Call Number: JG/ 005Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Judy GerberCollection: Programs produced by Judy Gerber and Laurie Simms
"Prison within a Prison" Marion Penitentiary designed to replace Alcatraz
Nothing is More Precious Than Nothing is More Precious Than
Date: 11/29/1975Call Number: NI 090Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Lincoln Bergman, Claude MarksProgram: Nothing Is More Precious ThanCollection: “Nothing is More Precious Than…” a news magazine including music and poetry
Dino Butler, Bob Robideau, James Eagle, and Leonard Peltier indicted in death of FBI agents. Alcatraz occupation anniversary tribute, with Richard Oakes, John Trudell. Shooting death of Richard Oakes. Tribute to Rosa Parks.
20th Anniversary of the Takeover of Alcatraz 20th Anniversary of the Takeover of Alcatraz
Call Number: CV 036Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Chuy VarelaCollection: Chuy Varela Collection
This is a recording from the 20th Anniversary of the Native American takeover of Alcatraz. Chuy Varela interviews various people at this event on their perspectives of this non-traditional Thanksgiving event and the continued Native American struggle. Also includes Native American prayers, chants and flute music.
Helen Sobell Interview Helen Sobell Interview
Date: 1/26/1963Call Number: KP 351Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Elsa Knight ThompsonCollection: Political Prisoners- General Info
Elsa Knight Thompson interview of Helen Sobell, then wife of Morton Sobell, imprisoned on Alcatraz for alleged complicity with the Rosenberg case. At time of this interview he was still imprisoned. Was released in 1969 after more than 17 years in prison.