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

Racism in San Bruno County Jail Racism in San Bruno County Jail
Date: 10/30/1973Call Number: PM 271Collection: Race and the Prison System
The first part of this recording is a question and answer session between San Bruno County Jail inmates and the head cook in their cafeteria. The conversation is facilitated by an ex-inmate. Topics discussed include the firing of three Black members of the kitchen staff, and insufficient quantities of food. The second part is the facilitator speaking on institutionalization, political education, and the creation of revolutionaries within the prison system.
Speeches on Race and Immigration (Part 2) Speeches on Race and Immigration (Part 2)
Speeches from a Vietnamese-American, Mayan-Guatemalan, Japanese-American and an El Salvadoran on racism and immigration experiences in the United States. Copy of SS 034B
Brotando del Silencio (Breaking out of the Silence) Brotando del Silencio (Breaking out of the Silence)
Date: 1/1/1973Call Number: Vin 032Producers: Paredon RecordsCollection: General materials
Songs that give voice to the women of La Raza, or people of mixed racial descent from Latin America. Suni Paz's music empowers both the Chicano Movement and women's liberation. Artist's statement and lyrics contained in the liner notes.
Southern Prison Blues Southern Prison Blues
Date: 1/1/1963Call Number: Vin 046Producers: Everest Records, Tradition, Harry OsterCollection: General materials
A collection of traditional blues songs about prison life performed by prisoners at Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola, Louisiana. Produced by folklorist Harry Oster. Songs chronicle the injustices and inherent racism of Southern prison life.
Ballads of Black America Ballads of Black America
Date: 1/1/1972Call Number: Vin 052Producers: Folkways Recordings, Frederick Douglass Kirkpatrick, Pete Seeger, Jeanne HumphriesCollection: General materials
A collection of songs from the Ballads of Black America project, which sought to educate children about black leaders in American history, including Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, and Paul Robeson. The project was started by Reverend Frederick Douglass Kirkpatrick, who also founded the Deacons For Defense and Justice during the civil rights movement. Accompanied by Pete Seeger and Jeanne Humphries. With extensive liner notes.
Malcolm X Speaking Malcolm X Speaking
Date: 1/1/1964Call Number: Vin 054Producers: Ethnic Records, Malcolm XCollection: Malcolm X
A compilation of excerpts from speeches given by Malcolm X. The first speech compares the nonviolent protest method employed by the civil rights movement and the black militancy, or self-defense strategy of Black Power and the Nation of Islam. The second speech describes the role of the United Nations in the global black liberation movement. Side 2 includes three speeches about the Birmingham Sunday School Bombing, and more on black militancy and nationalism.
Up You Mighty Race: Recollections of Marcus Garvey Up You Mighty Race: Recollections of Marcus Garvey
Date: 1/1/1921Call Number: Vin 055Producers: Garvey Records, Marcus Garvey, Amy Ashwood Garvey, Thelma Massy, Lord Obstinate, The Tony Thomas OrchestraCollection: Malcolm X
Tribute album to Marcus Garvey and his work for the black nationalist and Pan-Africanist movements. Side A includes songs about Garveyism by Thelma Massy, Lord Obstinate ,and the Tony Thomas Orchestra. Side B, narrated by Garvey's wife, Amy Ashwood Garvey, includes the pivotal speech, "Up, You Mighty Race."
Martin Luther King Jr. "Something is happening in our world" Martin Luther King Jr. "Something is happening in our world"
Excerpt from "I've been to the Mountaintop" speech. This speech was given April 3, 1968, at Mason Temple, Church of God in Christ Headquarters, in Memphis, Tennessee shortly before Rev. King was assassinated.
David Gilbert – A Lifetime of Struggle David Gilbert – A Lifetime of Struggle
Publisher: Freedom ArchivesProducers: Lisa Rudman, Claude MarksCollection: Freedom Archives Productions
This 30-minute video was edited in March 2002 by Claude Marks and Lisa Rudman, and is based on an interview done in July of 1998 at Great Meadows Prison, Comstock, New York by Sam Green and Bill Siegel. Camera: Federico Salsano. This is a rare opportunity to go behind prison walls for a discussion with David Gilbert, a lifelong anti-imperialist activist and former member of the Weather Underground Organization. David is now serving a life sentence in prison for activities in support of the Black Liberation Movement. He explains why he joined the movement, what led him to go underground, and frankly discusses the strengths and errors of the movement and the WUO.
A Luta Continue A Luta Continue