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

Margaret Randall Poetry Margaret Randall Poetry
Date: 5/17/1986Call Number: FI 073Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Emiliano Echeverria, Lincoln BergmanProgram: Freedom Is A Constant StruggleCollection: Freedom is a Constant Struggle
Freedom is A Constant Struggle program
San Quentin 6 on George Jackson's murder San Quentin 6 on George Jackson's murder
Call Number: KN 006Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Kiilu NyashaProgram: interview for airCollection: Programs produced by Kiilu Nyasha
studio discussion about George Jackson's murder
The San Quentin Six The San Quentin Six
Date: 6/17/1974Call Number: PM 001Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Claude Marks, Mark SchwartzProgram: Nothing Is More Precious Than/SpecialCollection: San Quentin Six
Update on civil suit filed against California prison system by the San Quentin 6. Program features background on the 6 as well as George Jackson. Actuality of Jackson, Fania Jordan, Johnny Larry Spain, James “Doc” Holiday, Luis “Bato” Talamantez, Hugo Pinell, Michael Burgener, Fleeta Drumgo, and David Johnson. Ends with Johnny Cash song denouncing San Quentin.
To Kill A Black Man To Kill A Black Man
Call Number: PM 029Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsCollection: Political Prisoner Periodicals
rap on murder of Black man/source unknown
Prison Songs of FD Kirkpatrick Prison Songs of FD Kirkpatrick
Call Number: PM 030Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProgram: insert/songs onlyCollection: Political Prisoner Periodicals
Frederick Douglass Kirkpatrick sings prison-related songs, with some Heber narration and Mark Schwartz report on Geronimo case
Prisoner Interview Prisoner Interview
Call Number: PM 090Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsCollection: Prison Conditions
An interview of an (unknown) inmate, touches on personal awareness of George Jackson, Inmate racism, Judicial injustice, Jury commentary, Alameda County Jail conditions, Black Panther Party mobilization around his case (brief), Strip and isolation cell conditions, and opinions on “psychology of prison administration”
Interview with George Jackson’s lawyer and former fellow inmate/comrade Interview with George Jackson’s lawyer and former fellow inmate/comrade
Call Number: PM 104Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsCollection: George Jackson
Track 1: Interview with John Thorne, George Jackson’s lawyer, about his relationship with George. Describes George as a selfless leader, always bringing in lawyers to discuss the cases of fellow inmates. Talks about George’s solidarity with other movements, his dedication to struggle for freedom, his ultimate discipline and preparedness for attack. Discusses some of the letters between George and Angela Davis about fascism within the United States. Track 2: Interview of Popeye Jackson, former fellow prisoner of George’s in San Quentin and Soledad prisons, discussing the impossibility of the State’s case for assassinating George Jackson. Discusses the repressive conditions of the adjustment center and the many revolutionaries abused within solitary confinement. Reads a letter from Fleeta Drumgo about his treatment in the case of his death.
San Quentin guard discussing race relations and racism within prison San Quentin guard discussing race relations and racism within prison
Call Number: PM 107Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsCollection: Political Prisoner Periodicals
Track 1: Lots of sync/wild sound. Interview with San Quentin guard. Describes Mexicans have problems in the prisons because of the language barrier. Admits his prejudice - “I don’t like rice and beans”. Guard says that inmates are not treated by race but by record. Admits that there are more people of color in adjustment center because of barriers on the outside and people who don’t have access to English language can’t compete with people who have resources. Therefore “they have to steal to get something to eat”. Track 2: Tour of prison museum and can hear descriptions of various weapons and makeshift weapons used by past inmates.
Black Panther Party Political Education Garage School Black Panther Party Political Education Garage School
Date: 9/8/1971Call Number: PM 109Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: BBC - GranadaCollection: Black Panther Party general
Black Panther Party kids singing free political prisoners, free David Hilliard, free Angela Davis, free Ruchell Magee, free all our people. Panther woman (name unknown) leads a class discussing definition of political prisoners and the criminal justice system. If someone can’t feed/clothe their family, doesn’t that make them a political prisoner? Talk about racism in the courtroom, all white juries, how the law doesn’t serve the people, how many people personally know prisoners.
Interview at Alternative House Interview at Alternative House
Date: 9/14/1971Call Number: PM 111Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsCollection: Political Prisoner Periodicals
Interview with various individuals at “Alternative House” about cycles of violence and repression in prisons. Talk about the increase in abuse after murder of George Jackson, Attica, etc. The more the inside is controlled, the more people will take to the streets. The prison movement is similar to the movement around the world of oppressed people - understanding colonialism in various contexts. Only psychologically sick people can cage and abuse people, which makes revolution that much more possible. It is oppression that makes the revolutionary realize that he is not receiving what any human needs to survive and live with dignity. Distinction between oppression related to mentality vs. material things. Blatant atrocities that are evident within the prison system as well as in the Third World. Cause of prisoners is a just cause - even for those who lack humanity because of the overwhelming cost of housing a prisoner.