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

"Returned Correspondence" form from Federal Bureau of Prisons to Committee to End the Marion Lockdown "Returned Correspondence" form from Federal Bureau of Prisons to Committee to End the Marion Lockdown
Authors: R.E. Holt, Associate WardenPublisher: Federal Bureau of PrisonsYear: 1989Format: CorrespondenceCollection: Committee to End the Marion Lockdown
5/5/1989 Letter informing that a correspondence with inmate Oscar Rivera was returned due to it being "detrimental to the security, good order, and discipline of the institution".
Letter to "People" Letter to "People"
Author: Bill DunneYear: 1989Format: CorrespondenceCollection: Freedom Now
Reproduction of handwritten letter
Letter to "Sisters" Letter to "Sisters"
Author: Marilyn KalmanPublisher: Women's Commision Freedom NowYear: 1989Format: CorrespondenceCollection: Freedom Now
Memo to Richard Harvey, Johnathan Lubell, Chokwe Lumumba, Margaret Burnyham, Lennox Hinds, Debra Jackson Memo to Richard Harvey, Johnathan Lubell, Chokwe Lumumba, Margaret Burnyham, Lennox Hinds, Debra Jackson
Authors: Adjoa Aiyetoro, Joan Gibbs, Gloria WeinbergPublisher: Freedom Now!Year: 1989Format: CorrespondenceCollection: Freedom Now FN - Tribunal
Reproduced by the Center for Constitutional Rights
Letter to Coordinating Body Members Letter to Coordinating Body Members
Author: Shelley MillerPublisher: Administration/FinanceYear: 1989Format: CorrespondenceCollection: HRC: Human Rights Campaign
Re: February 11, 1989, CB Meeting
Letter to Human Rights Campaign Activities Board Letter to Human Rights Campaign Activities Board
Author: Vicki LegionPublisher: Administration Finance CommissionYear: 1989Format: CorrespondenceCollection: HRC: Human Rights Campaign
Re: Your Suggestions for Names of People who would Serve on the Campaign's Advisory