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

Speeches on Race and Immigration (Part 1) Speeches on Race and Immigration (Part 1)
Call Number: SS 034AFormat: Cass AProducers: Sue SuprianoCollection: Sue Supriano Interviews and Programs
Speeches by Ignatious Bau, Andres Jiminez, Bill McNeill, Irma Manoz and Angela Chu on race and immigration experiences in the United States. Same as CD 605
Pajaro Latino Pajaro Latino
Date: 9/1/1994Call Number: JH 459AFormat: Cass AProducers: Jorge HerreraCollection: “Pajaro Latino” Programs produced by Jorge Herrera
No a Proposicion 187 de California con Silvia Ramirez
Interview with Jim Gonzalez Interview with Jim Gonzalez
Date: 10/24/1989Call Number: CV 040AFormat: Cass AProducers: Chuy VarelaProgram: KPFACollection: Chuy Varela Collection
Interview with Jim Gonzalez on issues concerning the Latino community such as the grape boycott, INS raids, immigration rights, affordable housing in San Francisco, sponsorship for Latino community events and police brutality, specifically the beating of Dolores Huerta.
Anti-Prop 187 Demonstrations & Interview with Fuerza Unida Anti-Prop 187 Demonstrations & Interview with Fuerza Unida
Date: 10/17/1994Call Number: CV 093AFormat: Cass AProducers: Chuy VarelaProgram: Noticiero AhoraCollection: Chuy Varela Collection
Investigates the internalized representations of Latinos as "illegal" through interviews. Some Latino leaders did not support the anti-Prop 187 demonstrations because they feared a backlash from the conservative right. Chuy Varela interviews an SEIU member who helped organize the anti-Prop 187 march in Oakland that focused on the children of immigrant parents. Also an interview with several Fuerza Unida women during the 11th day of their 21 day hunger strike to secure Levis workers safe working conditions, pensions and living wages.
Luis Alberto Urrea - "Across the Wire" Luis Alberto Urrea - "Across the Wire"
Call Number: CV 184AFormat: Cass AProducers: Chuy VarelaProgram: KPFACollection: Chuy Varela Collection
About Mexican people trying to cross the border and all of the hardships people face during their journey, and the aftermath.
Peter Brimelow - Alien Nation Peter Brimelow - Alien Nation
Date: 4/26/1995Call Number: CV 186AFormat: Cass AProducers: Chuy VarelaProgram: KPFACollection: Chuy Varela Collection
About America's immigration laws, how they are misused and the role of immigrants in the US.
Migra Interviews Migra Interviews
Call Number: CV 189AFormat: Cass AProducers: Chuy VarelaCollection: Chuy Varela Collection
Latino immigrants speak about why they came to the US, what they think of the life here, regrets of having immigrated.
Immigration- Centro Legal and the Immigration Clinic Immigration- Centro Legal and the Immigration Clinic
Date: 1/1/1986Call Number: CV 190AFormat: Cass AProducers: Chuy VarelaCollection: Chuy Varela Collection
The volunteer attorneys at the La Raza Centro Legal and the Immigration Clinic in SF speak after the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA) and Immigration Marriage Fraud Amendments (IMFA) passed.
David Ilchert Interview - INS David Ilchert Interview - INS
Date: 9/30/1992Call Number: CV 195AFormat: Cass AProducers: Chuy VarelaProgram: KPFACollection: Chuy Varela Collection
INS director speaks about immigration law, employers duties to verify the employment eligibility of workers The day laborers in San Rafael are also discussed.
San Rafael Day Laborers San Rafael Day Laborers
Date: 8/18/1992Call Number: CV 196AFormat: Cass AProducers: Chuy VarelaCollection: Chuy Varela Collection
Latino day laborers in San Rafael speak as they stand on street corners looking for work. About their experiences coming to and working in the US, encounters with the INS. Also interviewed are two shopkeepers in the area.