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

Real Dragon Real Dragon
Date: 8/18/1973Call Number: RD 059Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Lincoln Bergman, Claude MarksProgram: Real DragonCollection: “The Real Dragon” a news magazine including music and poetry
Program that includes coverage of Indochina, prison movement, labor struggles. (script on file)
Militant Workers in Detroit, 8/27/73 Militant Workers in Detroit, 8/27/73
Date: 8/27/1973Call Number: KP 058Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsCollection: General materials
Poor conditions in Detroit auto factory’s result in strikes against the Chrysler Corporation , among others. Jefferson Ave. and the Detroit Forge Plant were two sites of strike activity. Jim Jacobs explains some of the reasoning behind the strikes, and relates the issue to black equality as well.
Robert F Williams at Lewis Business College - Part 1 Robert F Williams at Lewis Business College - Part 1
Year: 1996Call Number: RFW 060Format: Mini DVCollection: Robert F. Williams!
We have no legal rights to reproduce or distribute this item! Appearance of RFW at Lewis Business College, Detroit sponsored by NAPO (New African People's Organization). Part 1
Robert F Williams at Lewis Business College - Part 2 & Rosa Parks speaking at Robert Williams memorial Robert F Williams at Lewis Business College - Part 2 & Rosa Parks speaking at Robert Williams memorial
Call Number: RFW 061Volume Number: 1996 + 10/22/1996Format: Mini DVCollection: Robert F. Williams!
We have no legal rights to reproduce or distribute this item! Appearance of RFW at Lewis Business College, Detroit sponsored by NAPO (New African People's Organization). Part 2 + Rosa Parks speaking at RFW memorial
Malcolm X - Last Message Part 1 Malcolm X - Last Message Part 1
Date: 2/14/1965Call Number: CD 533Format: CDCollection: Malcolm X
Malcolm X addresses the First Annual Dignity Projection and Scholarship Award Ceremony - the chilling Last Message, in which he begins by talking about his experience staying at a house in Detroit that had been bombed the night before his speech.
Malcolm X - Last Message Part 2 Malcolm X - Last Message Part 2
Date: 2/14/1965Call Number: CD 534Format: CDCollection: Malcolm X
Malcolm X addresses the First Annual Dignity Projection and Scholarship Award Ceremony - done in Detroit. He discusses politics, race, and the global scene at the time.
Vietnam & Detroit Rebellion Vietnam & Detroit Rebellion
Publisher: Freedom ArchivesProgram: COINTELPRO 101Collection: Geronimo Pratt
Geronimo Ji Jaga discusses his experience of returning from a year of combat in Vietnam only to be ordered to repress an riot in Detroit that largely consisted of Black and disenfranchised peoples.
Excerpt from "Message to the Grass Roots" Excerpt from "Message to the Grass Roots"
Publisher: Freedom ArchivesCollection: La Lucha Continua: a talking mural in San Francisco
Malcolm X on what revolution is. Excerpted from his speech "Message to the Grass Roots" delivered in Detroit, MI on November 10, 1963