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

Puerto Rico: Oscar Collazo (1 of 3) Puerto Rico: Oscar Collazo (1 of 3)
Date: 10/20/1977Call Number: PM 135Format: Cass A & BProducers: Jonah RaskinCollection: Puerto Rico
Oscar Collazo's reaction to release of Andres Figueroa Cordero. Discusses his own political principles and those of the Nationalist Party and why he refuses parole. Discusses Blair House Action, 1950. Describes own education, Puerto Rico, move to New York, what brought him to Nationalist Party, racial dynamics in Harlem, (lack of) support for Nationalists from US progressive/leftist parties. Describes his case briefly, interaction with other Puerto Rican political prisoners, prison life, and a prison strike.
Avotja poetry performance Avotja poetry performance
Date: 4/1/1986Call Number: LA 027Format: Cass A & BCollection: Puerto Rico
Avotja reading poetry - public event on Puerto Rican political prisoners. Off-mic recording. Gloria Alonzo, mc.
Safiya Bukhari Interview with Albert Nuh Washington Safiya Bukhari Interview with Albert Nuh Washington
Date: 2/24/2000Call Number: PM 168Format: Cass A & BProducers: Sally O’Brien, Safiya BukhariProgram: Where We LiveCollection: Political Prisoners- General Info
Interview for WBAI program ‘Where we Live’ - Safiya Bukhari with Albert Nuh Washington, shortly before his death in prison.
Raphael Cancel Miranda speaking at Hunter College December 8, 1990 Raphael Cancel Miranda speaking at Hunter College December 8, 1990
Date: 12/8/1990Call Number: PM 172Format: Cass A & BCollection: Puerto Rico
Raphael Cancel Miranda speaking at Hunter College December 8, 1990
Activism inside and outside of prison Activism inside and outside of prison
Date: 2/7/1992Call Number: PM 183Format: Cass A & BProducers: The Prison Radio ProjectProgram: You can’t jail the spiritCollection: Political Prisoner Periodicals
Last part of a 13 series program on prisons in the United States. The series explores the lives and experiences of political prisoners, POWs, and incarcerated activists. Prisons today, it argues, are the government’s response to societal problems such as unemployment, poverty, homelessness, and immigration. In this tape in particular Jude Tilman talks to different activists: Thelma Clark, Judy Greenspan, Muhjah Shakir, and Michael Snedecker.
Ruben Scott Interview Ruben Scott Interview
Date: 12/2/1975Call Number: PM 202Format: Cass A & BProducers: Claude MarksCollection: BLA
In this interview Scott discusses the circumstances of his arrest. Sep. 3rd, Scott was detained and beaten, charged with two counts of assault. Originally Scott was stopped for indecent exposure but never charged. Scott was charged with assault after defending himself from an unidentified officer whom had cocked his gun in Scotts face. Bail was set at $5000 and he was out on bond the next day. 8/25 Scoot was detained after being tailed since 7/3. Scott was arrested again, where he and a couple others were repeatedly beaten and questioned about a bank robbery as well as the where about of others.
Grito de Lares Commemoration Event Grito de Lares Commemoration Event
Date: 9/23/1989Call Number: LA 033Format: Cass A & BCollection: Puerto Rico
This event, commemorating 121 years after El Grito de Lares (the “birth” of the Puerto Rican nation), was organized by Casa Puerto Rico, el Movimiento de Liberacion Puertorriqueno, and the Free Puerto Rico Committee. In mixed Spanish and English. Gloria Alonzo and Eli Jordan are the masters of ceremony. Taped from on and off mic. Continued on LA049.
Puerto Rican Politcal Prisoners and Prisoners of War Puerto Rican Politcal Prisoners and Prisoners of War
Date: 1/10/1992Call Number: LA 050Format: Cass A & BProducers: Noelle Hanrahan (in assoc. with Gloria Alonzo), Jane Segal, J. Mullins, Bo (Rita D.) BrownProgram: You Can’t Jail the Spirit: Political Prisoners in the USCollection: Puerto Rico
Part of a thirteen part series (You Can’t Jail the Spirit). Interviews with PR PPs/POWs over prison phones and Puerto Rican Independentista activists and academics. Intro by Gloria Alonzo, Interviews by Avotcha. Recorded voices of Felix Mata, then Umberto Pagan (recorded at 1989 Grito de Lares Event in San Francisco). Interviews with Rafael Cancel Miranda, Dylcia Pagan (POW talking from prison), Jose Lopez (re: MLN today), Adolfo Matos (POW talking from Lompock Penintentiary). Music. Interview with Margarita Mengal (professor, talking on Ofensive ‘92). (duplicated on LA 070)
Interview with Herman Bell Interview with Herman Bell
Date: 6/13/1974Call Number: PM 206Format: Cass A & BProducers: Claude MarksCollection: Herman Bell
Interview with Herman Bell by Claude Marks about the Black Liberation Movement, his refections on political realities for Black communities and the politics of liberation and resistance; his capture in New Orleans; the torture of Black Liberation Army members by the police; BLA members murdered by police in New York; and his vision for the future.
Interview with Herman Bell Interview with Herman Bell
Date: 9/16/1974Call Number: PM 207Format: Cass A & BProducers: Claude MarksCollection: Herman Bell
Interviews with Herman Bell by Claude Marks. The first conducted on September 16, 1974, the day of his conviction of a San Francisco bank robbery and the second September 25, 1974. “just came from the courtroom..if I had had my hopes up high for justice or fair play, I would have been disappointed. No great surprise. The whole charade. I was very relaxed and prepared for it. My position and always will be...look for nothing from these people...” Herman Bell speaks to the issue of prison and how he will continue to struggle ‘I dare to struggle and I dare to win.” Herman Bell talks about his conviction on three felony charges stemming from a Bank of America robbery in San Francisco. The New York Five case is discussed. Discusses means of struggle - sword/pen, reflects on history and future goals.