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

Murder of Luis “Jr.” Martinez , bombing of the Crusade for Justice headquarters Murder of Luis “Jr.” Martinez , bombing of the Crusade for Justice headquarters
Call Number: CAP 149Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Real DragonCollection: Political issues of the time – a program series produced by Comunicacion Aztlan
After a party at the Crusade headquarters, 2 police cars were surveying people. The crusade headquarters were under constant police surveillance. The Crusade were surrounded by 10 police units . The police blocked off the road around the crusade building- Luis “jr.” Martinez was killed in an alley behind the headquarters. Three witnesses saw Martinez in police custody prior to his death, they say he ran between the buildings , contradicts police statements. the Crusade party was going on in only one unit of the building, the police searched all 10 units, then later came up with a warrant about noon, didn’t deliver the warrant to any of the tenants. the police were shooting into the crusade building (where they claimed they had been targeted by sniper fire ) then there was a loud explosion. A bomb. at 9:30 Corky Gonzales brought in a an independent explosives detective to investigate, police charged him with unlawful use of an explosive and aggravated assault on an officer. the independent explosive detective was denied entry along with Corky the police stated they needed a court order for entry into the building to conduct the investigation. Corky and the Crusaders believe that it was a police conspiracy along with the FBI to provoke an incident in order to justify a search of all 10 units of the Crusade’s headquarters. the police and FBI believed the headquarters was being used as a storage place for weapons to be used at the American Indian Movement occupation of Wounded Knee.
Bolivia: Drug War Bolivia: Drug War
Date: 8/25/1989Call Number: JG/ 033AFormat: Cass AProducers: Judy GerberCollection: Programs produced by Judy Gerber and Laurie Simms
ACLA (Atlantic Committee on Latin America) show. Covers Bolivia following the murder of 2 Mormon missionaries the crackdown on left wing guerilla organizations and the US War on Drugs , FBI involvement and $11 million for War on Drugs in 1989. Uruguay from a article in the "Guardian" on massive unemployment, the exodus of youth and youth withdrawal from activism. El Salvador on the ARENA party and Salvadorian refugees in the US and the repression they face when trying to organize against right wing ARENA. Vieques: 4 month stand off between Puerto Rican residents and the US Navy, history of resistance on Vieques and the living/environmental conditions.
Kathleen Cleaver with Kiilu Nyasha Kathleen Cleaver with Kiilu Nyasha
Date: 8/25/1994Call Number: KN 005Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Kiilu NyashaProgram: interview for airCollection: Geronimo Pratt
Struggle By Kathleen Cleaver to represent Geronimo Ji Jaga at his parole hearing, Geronimo's case, COINTELPRO
The Radical Underground in America The Radical Underground in America
Date: 1/29/1975Call Number: KP 008Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Earl OfariCollection: Black Liberation
This documentary produced by Earl Ofari contains a wide array of voices about the importance of the underground in revolutionary struggle; from FBI director Clarence Kelly and Attorney General William Saxbe to Kathleen Cleaver, Herman Bell and Mark Allen. There is music by Smokey Robinson.
Manifesto of the Panther 21 Manifesto of the Panther 21
Date: 3/1/1970Call Number: KP 013Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Committee to Defend Panther 21, Radio Free PeopleProgram: Seize the Time Series IICollection: Panther 21
An open letter to Judge John Murtaugh by Michael Cetewayo Tabor in response to Murtaugh’s request of the Panther 21 to obey his rules and keep complete silence during their trail in his courtroom. This manifesto response, spoken in the courtroom, gives a history of America since colonialism until present day 1970 through the African-American experience. Topics mentioned are: colonialism, slavery, the constitution, Amendments 13,14,15, the Reconstruction Era, Plessy v. Ferguson, Brown v. Board, public segregation, COINTELPRO. Key people mentioned: NYC District Attorney Frank Hogan, Judge Charles Marks, Black Panthers Joan Mury and Lee Barry. Manifesto ends with each Panther 21 stating their name.
Prison Songs of FD Kirkpatrick Prison Songs of FD Kirkpatrick
Call Number: PM 030Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProgram: insert/songs onlyCollection: Political Prisoner Periodicals
Frederick Douglass Kirkpatrick sings prison-related songs, with some Heber narration and Mark Schwartz report on Geronimo case
Real Dragon Real Dragon
Date: 2/10/1973Call Number: RD 030Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Claude Marks, Lincoln BergmanProgram: Real DragonCollection: “The Real Dragon” a news magazine including music and poetry
Roundup of news, much international, Native American, prisons, repression
Real Dragon Real Dragon
Date: 4/28/1973Call Number: RD 040Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProgram: Real DragonCollection: “The Real Dragon” a news magazine including music and poetry
A satiric look at the Watergate crisis, in faux soap opera style/radio drama. Followed by other news, international, Vietnam, Larry Justice and Earl Gibson
G is Free G is Free
Date: 6/10/1997Call Number: V 007Format: VHSCollection: Geronimo Pratt
Approximately 10 separate news blitzes/interviews about Geronimo Pratt’s release from prison. Footage of him addressing the judge and maintaining his innocence. Most news blurbs discuss Pratt’s history in the Vietnam War, membership in LA chapter of the Black Panther Party, and his being framed by the chief witness, Julius Butler, an FBI and police informant in the murder case of Carolyn Olson, a Santa Monica schoolteacher. Shots of his welcoming back to Marin City, with family, friends and community members, anxious for their “hero” to return. One later news clipping is an interview with Pratt on the one year anniversary of his release. Again Pratt openly discusses the corruption of the FBI and their targeting of the Black Panther Party.
Jalil Muntaqim interview (1 of 4) Jalil Muntaqim interview (1 of 4)
Call Number: V 078Format: VHSProducers: John O’ReillyCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
Begins with talk about how he met Nuh Washington and Sacco Ortiz, who were Denver Panthers needing a place to crash. They lived at his place for a few months in the Bay Area, politicizing each other and living communally. Tells story of how Nuh got his name. Describes in detail about his transition into Islam. Quite reluctant at first, argued a lot with Max Sanford aka Hamid Hamid and H. Rap Brown aka Jamil AABD Al-Amin, with whom he was imprisoned in Old Queens, NY in 1972. He had great respect for these guys and watched them pray 5 times a day. He called himself a materialist up until this point, but could never resolve question of spirit and what happens to spirit once the body passes. Being a Muslim doesn’t take away from his being a revolutionary, only provides more and brings hope, a tempered spirit, and a spiritual/material equilibrium. Discusses the meaning of Jihad - to struggle, to strive in his political life. Talks about rebelling against parents, schools and cops. Always a good student, mom instilled a sense of dignity and African identity in him. Politicized by the murder of Martin Luther King, seeing Black Panther Party on TV going to the CA capitol with weapons, friends John Carlos and Tommie Smith at the 1968 Olympics with black power fists raised in the air. Was always associated with Black Panther Party, but only briefly joined and then was recruited into the Black Liberation Army whose existence began years before they were publicly known as an underground organization during Jalil and Dharuba bin Wahad’s case in 1971. Discusses his case - initially as the NY 5 with the Ortiz brothers (Gabriel and Francisco), later their case was dismissed for lack of evidence, thus they became the NY 3. Discusses how evidence was tampered with and the entire conviction was a setup given the threat that the government and FBI believed that the Black Liberation Army/Black Panther Party posed to the national security. Has much information and FBI documents proving innocence through the Freedom of Information Act. Discusses the torturing of witnesses, granting immunity to one witness who had several outstanding arrests.