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

Gov't Network Sterilizes Workers Gov't Network Sterilizes Workers
Publisher: Committee for Puerto Rican DecolonizationFormat: ArticleCollection: Puerto Rico: A History of the People
A continuation of an article about the history of mass sterilization in Puerto Rico but focuses on the problems with the current health system and includes the results of a 1968 study on sterilzation.
Deadly defense: women who kill abusers Deadly defense: women who kill abusers
Author: Candy J . CooperPublisher: San Francisco ExaminerDate: 8/30/1992Volume Number: 30-AugFormat: ArticleCollection: Violence Against Women
Reproduction of original article.
The Shame of America - Psychological Torture: US Style- The Case of Alejandrina and Susan The Shame of America - Psychological Torture: US Style- The Case of Alejandrina and Susan
Publisher: National Committee to Free Puerto Rican Prisoners of WarFormat: ArticleCollection: Lexington Control Unit for Women
In English and Spanish
Special Incapacitation: The Emergence of a New Correctional Facility for Women Political Prisoners Special Incapacitation: The Emergence of a New Correctional Facility for Women Political Prisoners
Author: Gilda ZwermanPublisher: Social JusticeYear: 1988Volume Number: Vol. 15-1Format: ArticleCollection: Lexington Control Unit for Women
Excerpt from Social Justice Vol. 15(1)
Brainwashing in America?: The Women of Lexington Prison Brainwashing in America?: The Women of Lexington Prison
Authors: William A. Ruben, Carlos NormanPublisher: The NationDate: 6/27/1988Volume Number: 27-JunFormat: ArticleCollection: Lexington Control Unit for Women
Reproduction of article
Women Political Prisoners in the US Ad Women Political Prisoners in the US Ad
Publisher: Gay Community NewsYear: 1988Format: ArticleCollection: Lexington Control Unit for Women
Pages 5-6 of 6/26/1988 issue; Page 6 scanned. Full page ad prepared by Out of Control
The Women's High Security Unit in Lexington, KY The Women's High Security Unit in Lexington, KY
Author: Jan SuslerPublisher: Yale Journal of Law and LiberationYear: 1989Volume Number: Vol. 1-1 FallFormat: ArticleCollection: Lexington Control Unit for Women
This article centers on Baraldini v. Meese, a case that arose as a result of Congressional and public inquiry into the conditions at FCI Lexington HSU. The suit asserted that placement in the unit violated the prisoners' First Amedment rights of expression and association, that placement without prior hearing violated Fifth Amendment due process rights and that the conditions violated the women's Eight Amendment right to be free from cruel and unusual punishment.
The issue of Zionism in the Women's Movement The issue of Zionism in the Women's Movement
Publisher: Women Against ImperialismVolume Number: AprilFormat: ArticleCollection: Women Against Imperialism
On the intersection of Palestinian and Women's liberation.
Words from a Sister in Exile Words from a Sister in Exile
Author: Cheryll Y. GreenePublisher: EssenceDate: 2/1988Volume Number: FebruaryFormat: ArticleCollection: Assata Shakur
When revolutionary political activist Assata Shakur (previously JoAnne Chesimard) made a daring escape from prison in 1979, she- like our fugative slave ancestors- became legendary in the Black community. Here she speaks about her life in Cuba today.
Chesimard Accuses Police of Racism, Urges Blacks to Form Guerilla Units Chesimard Accuses Police of Racism, Urges Blacks to Form Guerilla Units
Publisher: The Star-LedgerDate: 10/19/1987Volume Number: 19-OctFormat: ArticleCollection: Assata Shakur
reproduction of original article