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

Writers of the Revolution: Langston Hughes and Margaret Danner Writers of the Revolution: Langston Hughes and Margaret Danner
Date: 1/1/1970Call Number: Vin 079Format: VinylProducers: Black ForumCollection: Chuy Varela Collection
Recorded sometime before Hughes death in 1967, this LP is a recording of a conversation between the two famed poets. The two poets read each other their poems and discuss such topics as American poetry, African American authors and poetry of the 20th century. The poetry ranges from personal and lyrical verses to cultural and social commentary.
Songs of Free Men, Spirituals: Paul Robeson Songs of Free Men, Spirituals: Paul Robeson
Date: 1/1/1968Call Number: Vin 081Format: VinylProducers: Columbia OdysseyCollection: Colin Edwards Collection
An actor, singer, professional football player, humanitarian, and civil rights activist, Paul Robeson was an extremely influential figure of the 20th century. Side 1 "Songs of Free Men" feature songs inspired by social and international upheavals during and after WWII. Side 2 "Spirituals" are Negro spirituals songs of the 19th and 20th century.
The Best of Paul Robeson Vol. 3: Paul Robeson The Best of Paul Robeson Vol. 3: Paul Robeson
Call Number: Vin 082Format: VinylProducers: Starline, EMI RecordsCollection: Colin Edwards Collection
An actor, singer, professional football player, humanitarian, and civil rights activist, Paul Robeson was an extremely influential figure of the 20th century. This album is a collection of Robeson's recordings over his career. It ranges from Russian folk songs to war song to Negro spiritual songs.
The Essential Paul Robeson: Paul Robeson The Essential Paul Robeson: Paul Robeson
Date: 1/1/1974Call Number: Vin 085Format: VinylProducers: Vanguard Recording Society Inc.Collection: Colin Edwards Collection
An actor, singer, professional football player, humanitarian, and civil rights activist, Paul Robeson was an extremely influential figure of the 20th century. This album is a collection of Robeson's recordings over his career. It ranges from his renditions of European classics to Negro Spirituals.
Feel Something Drawing Me On (Sweet Honey in the Rock) Feel Something Drawing Me On (Sweet Honey in the Rock)
Call Number: Vin 101Format: VinylCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
Sweet Honey In The Rock is America's Premiere female acappella quintet. This album is full of sacred songs presented to inform and inspire.
GOODNEWS (Sweet Honey In The Rock) GOODNEWS (Sweet Honey In The Rock)
Call Number: Vin 103Format: VinylCollection: Freedom is a Constant Struggle
Sweet Honey In The Rock is America's Premiere female acappella quintet. This album is full of sacred songs presented to inform and inspire. Topics include Apartheid, Steve Biko, Soweto and Chile.