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

The history of the slave trade The history of the slave trade
Call Number: AFR 056Format: Cass A & BProducers: WBAI RadioProgram: WBAI Special Premium: “Spirits of the Passage”Collection: Africa- General Resources
Historian John Henrik Clarke reads Madeline Burnside’s book “Spirits of the Passage”. The recording begins with a background history of slavery in the world, and of the slave trade. Clarke, author of the book “Critical Lessons of Slavery and the Slave Trade”, speaks on the slave trade in its historical context. Professor of African American history at Howard University, Olive Taylor, explains how the slave trade has had an impact on dancing, and she also discusses international law and the slave trade. Ali Mazrui, creator of the PBS TV series “The Africans”, discusses modern day slavery in Sudan. Side B is a continuation of Side A, with Mazrui speaking about South Africa, Brazil, and the Arab world’s involvement in the slave trade and racial categories.
Historian John Henrik Clarke on Islam and other religions in Africa Historian John Henrik Clarke on Islam and other religions in Africa
Call Number: AFR 057Format: Cass A & BProducers: WBAIProgram: WBAI Special Premium: Spirits of the Passage with John Henrik ClarkeCollection: Africa- General Resources
Historian John Henrik Clarke speaks on spirituality and the history of Islam in Africa. He speaks about how organized religion has spread at the hand of conquerors, and Muslim Africans have been blinded to the wrongs done to their fellow Africans in the name of Islam. He talks about how East and West Africa have been Islamized by Arabs and Islamized Africans, and that nothing good for Africa comes out of outside influences. Quote: “Everything that touches your life must be converted into an instrument for your liberation, or thrown into the ash can of history.” Clarke proceeds to give a history of the Muslims, Islam, and Christianity in Africa. Taking a negative view on the Islamic religion, he also asserts that Europeans took control of Christianity and other religions. Quote: “Europeans don’t know fractions even to this day. One fourth, one half - they want it all.” Side B is extremely muffled and unintelligible.
Minister Louis Farrakhan speaks before the National Newspaper Publishers Association Minister Louis Farrakhan speaks before the National Newspaper Publishers Association
Date: 3/14/1996Call Number: V 159Format: VHSCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
Louis Farrakhan is being honored with the 1995 newsmaker of the year award,given by the National Newspaper Publishers Associaton ( the assciaton is a trade association for 200 black newspapers). He speaks about how the media has distorted and crushed black leaders and their views; but he honors the National Newspaper Publishers Association for going against the mainsteam and awarding him for his work.He talks about his trips to Africa and the Islamic world.
Democratic Palestine Democratic Palestine
Publisher: Popular Front for the Liberation of PalestineYear: 1984Volume Number: No. 2 MarchFormat: PeriodicalCollection: Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
A revolutionary Palestinian magazine in the English language dedicated to the struggle for liberation and return. Cover Story: "Lebanon- Fiasco for the US"
Democratic Palestine Democratic Palestine
Publisher: Popular Front for the Liberation of PalestineYear: 1987Volume Number: No. 26 SeptemberFormat: PeriodicalCollection: Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
A revolutionary Palestinian magazine in the English language dedicated to the struggle for liberation and return. Cover Story: "They killed Naji Al Ali - But They Can't Kill the Voice of the Masses"