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

Ghosts of Attica Ghosts of Attica
Date: 1/1/2001Call Number: V 035Format: VHSProducers: David Van Taylor, Brad Lichtenstein, Lumier ProductionsCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
Only last year, inmates wrested an historic $12-million settlement from the state, and that bittersweet victory spurred a new round of agitation by guards and their survivors. This stirring documentary features extensive interviews with Attica survivors, including former inmate Frank "Big Black" Smith. Also interviewed is Mike Smith, who was a guard who was taken hostage and subsequently wounded by police fire. Elizabeth Fink, the attorney who headed the inmates' decades-long legal battles against New York State, is also interviewed. Other interviews include those with New York Times columnist Tom Wicker, Congressman Herman Badillo, Assemblyman Arthur Eve, and civil rights lawyer William Kunstler. GHOSTS OF ATTICA offers the definitive account of America's most violent prison rebellion, its suppression, and the days of torture that ensued. Using exclusive, newly uncovered video of the assault, interviews with eyewitnesses who've never spoken before on-camera, and footage of inmates and hostages throughout their battles against the state, this film unravels one of America's deepest cover-ups, and shows how the legendary prison riot transformed the lives of its survivors.
Interviews: Angela Davis, David Hilliard Interviews: Angela Davis, David Hilliard
Date: 3/19/2001Call Number: CD 037Format: CDProducers: Claude Marks, Lincoln BergmanCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
Interviews with Angela Davis (3/19/01) and David Hilliard (3/22/01) for Prisons on Fire CD
Interviews: Angela Davis Interviews: Angela Davis
Date: 3/19/2001Call Number: CD 041Format: ProTools CDProducers: Claude Marks, Lincoln BergmanCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
Interview with Angela Davis (3/19/01) for Prisons on Fire CD
Interview: David Hilliard Interview: David Hilliard
Date: 3/22/2001Call Number: CD 042Format: ProTools CDProducers: Claude Marks, Lincoln BergmanCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
Interview with David Hilliard (3/22/01) for Prisons on Fire CD
Interview with Michael Deutsch about Attica Prison Rebellion Interview with Michael Deutsch about Attica Prison Rebellion
Date: 5/1/2001Call Number: PM 171Format: Cass A & BProducers: Claude MarksCollection: Attica
Claude Marks interviews Michael Deutsch about Attica Prison Rebellion and its aftermath for Prisons on Fire.
Angela Davis on George Jackson and history of the modern-day prison movement Angela Davis on George Jackson and history of the modern-day prison movement
Date: 3/19/2001Call Number: PM 174Format: DATProducers: Claude Marks, Lincoln BergmanCollection: George Jackson
Claude Marks and Lincoln Bergman interview Angela Davis on the murder of George Jackson and the history of the modern-day prison movement.
The Tashunka Witro Brigade Show, “Black August” The Tashunka Witro Brigade Show, “Black August”
Date: 8/25/2001Call Number: PM 243Format: CassetteProgram: Tashunka Witro Brigade ShowCollection: Black August Resistance
Part I This was a broadcast on KPOO 89.5 FM. The title of the episode was "Black August." The producers examine the definition of political prisoners and prisoners of war. With the definitions, they explore the different political prisoners in our American prison system and the suppression of these revolutionaries' vision and influence in history and society. The focus is primarily on the prison system's agenda against people of color, Hispanics, and Native American people to silence their revolutionary example. The prison Pelican Bay is defined as a tomb to silence revolutionaries and eliminate resistance. Black August, a celebration of resistance and determination in memory of freedom fighters that rebelled against the California prison system, is also acknowledged. Black August also represents self-discipline, change, love, peace, freedom, and life. Black August continues to be a time of severe lockdown to prevent prisoner resistance and revival. The producers analyze the oppression and murders of indigenous people and Latinos, along with the political repression that people of color face. The vision and dismantlement of the Muslim activist and the Islamic movement is addressed as well. The stories of revolutionaries such as Alvarro Nuna Hernandez, Jonathan Jackson, Katari Golden, George Jackson, Romaine Chip Fitzgerald, El Mahn Jahmeel, and El Hajj Malik Shabazz are told in relation to their roles as political prisoners. The political prisoners are honored as a fighting spirit within the prison system.
The Tashunka Witro Brigade Show, “Black August” The Tashunka Witro Brigade Show, “Black August”
Date: 8/25/2001Call Number: PM 244Format: CassetteProgram: Tashunka Witro Brigade ShowCollection: Black August Resistance
Black August, Part II This was a broadcast on KPOO 89.5 FM. The title of the episode was "Black August." The producers examine the definition of political prisoners and prisoners of war. With the definitions, they explore the different political prisoners in our American prison system and the suppression of these revolutionaries' vision and influence in history and society. The focus is primarily on the prison system's agenda against people of color, Hispanics, and Native American people to silence their revolutionary example. The prison Pelican Bay is defined as a tomb to silence revolutionaries and eliminate resistance. Black August, a celebration of resistance and determination in memory of freedom fighters that rebelled against the California prison system, is also acknowledged. Black August also represents self-discipline, change, love, peace, freedom, and life. Black August continues to be a time of severe lockdown to prevent prisoner resistance and revival. The producers analyze the oppression and murders of indigenous people and Latinos, along with the political repression that people of color face. The vision and dismantlement of the Muslim activist and the Islamic movement is addressed as well. The stories of revolutionaries such as Alvarro Nuna Hernandez, Jonathan Jackson, Katari Golden, George Jackson, Romaine Chip Fitzgerald, El Mahn Jahmeel, and El Hajj Malik Shabazz are told in relation to their roles as political prisoners. The political prisoners are honored as a fighting spirit within the prison system.
Ghosts of Attica (Finecut) Ghosts of Attica (Finecut)
Date: 1/1/2001Call Number: V 034Format: VHSProducers: David Van Taylor, Brad Lichtenstein, Lumier ProductionsCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
GHOSTS OF ATTICA offers the definitive account of America's most violent prison rebellion, its suppression, and the days of torture that ensued. Using exclusive, newly uncovered video of the assault, interviews with eyewitnesses who've never spoken before on-camera, and footage of inmates and hostages throughout their battles against the state, this film unravels one of America's deepest cover-ups, and shows how the legendary prison riot transformed the lives of its survivors. This stirring documentary features extensive interviews with Attica survivors, including former inmate Frank "Big Black" Smith, Mike Smith, who was a guard who was taken hostage and subsequently wounded by police fire, and Elizabeth Fink, the attorney who headed the inmates' decades-long legal battles against New York State. Other interviews include those with New York Times columnist Tom Wicker, Congressman Herman Badillo, Assemblyman Arthur Eve, and civil rights lawyer William Kunstler.
Attica Rebellion: 30 years later Attica Rebellion: 30 years later
Date: 9/7/2001Call Number: CD 024Format: CDProducers: Freedom ArchivesCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
30 Years After the Attica Rebellion: A 29-minute radio documentary about the origins of the modern anti-prison movement BC Master for portion of Prisons on Fire CD September, 2001 marks the 30th anniversary of the Attica Rebellion in New York. This massive prison takeover by hundreds of inmates and the callous repression and murders by the state of New York are part of a unique moment in US history. Who were the Attica Brothers? Why did they seize control of the prison? What makes Attica important to the anti-prison movement today? Featuring historical materials from the Freedom Archives. Voices include: Frank 'Big Black' Smith, Attica Brother and prison activist L.D. Barkley, Attica Brother killed during the re-taking of the prison Elizabeth Fink, attorney for the Attica Brothers Michael Deutsch, attorney for the Attica Brothers Historical recordings in Attica prison during the rebellion and the bloody retaking of the prison Knowing what happened in the early 1970s prison movement is essential for youth, communities of color and progressives to effectively confront today's unprecedented prison growth. We bring you this history through the voices of the people who were there - taking young people back to a time filled with lessons for today and tomorrow.