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

George Jackson at San Quentin George Jackson at San Quentin
Date: 7/28/1971Call Number: PM 211AFormat: Cass ACollection: George Jackson
Interviewed by Max Bloom. Jackson speaks about the Prison Movement. Discusses different organizations and vanguard parties collaborating with each other to help the fight against white oppression. He speaks about the Weathermen and the Panthers.
PFOC--Press Conference (Prairie Fire) PFOC--Press Conference (Prairie Fire)
Date: 11/21/1977Call Number: PM 259AFormat: Cass ACollection: LA Five
In response to the recent arrests of five revolutionaries in Houston and LA, the PFOC held a press conference in defense of their main captured member Clayton Van Lidograph. In the statement, the Prairie Fire Organizing Committee explains their main objectives of solidarity with oppressed women, Chicanos, Puerto Ricans, and exploited third world cultures. By any means of revolution, the PFOC will fight against the imperialist government. Just like the unfair legal charges put upon past radicals, their PFOC member and others were arrested and were being charged of terrorism and conspiracy. They explain that these charges are frame-ups and the true terrorists are the government, KKK, and other extreme right-wing organizations. In the media, the PFOC were originally grouped with the Weather Underground. However, this organization does not side with the Weather Underground and their politics. After the statement, reporters badger them with somewhat unanswerable questions.
Attica 1971 Attica 1971
Call Number: PM 260 AFormat: Cass ACollection: Attica
During the radio show, the Attica prison takeover was currently in action. Beginning with folk music, the radio host gives insightful information about the prison struggle through thoughtful spoken word. The host also provides current news about the rebellion, George Jackson, Juan Ortiz, prison conditions, negotiations, hostages (guards), Rockefeller, and the demands of many inmates being sent in exile to a non-imperialist country. The radio show ends with readings from black women poets.