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

We Are Attica We Are Attica
Date: 2/1/1972Call Number: PM 151Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Bruce Soloway, Dolores Costello, Paul Fisher, David RapkinProgram: Pacific Radio WBAICollection: Attica
In February of 1972 seven maximum security prisoners were finally allowed to give the press in-prison interviews. They give accounts of the inhumane state of health care, education, rules and punishments, race discrimination, exploitation of labor, and general oppression still evident within the prison. They also discuss the Attica Liberation Faction, the manifesto (partial reading included) and the effect of George Jackson’s death on the prisoners. They speak about the September 13, 1971 rebellion, the violent retaking of the prison, torture and murder of prisoners and guards by the government. Donald Noble from PM 152 and Frank Smith from PM 155.
Inside Attica- An Interview with Frank Smith Inside Attica- An Interview with Frank Smith
Date: 2/14/1972Call Number: PM 155Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Bruce SolowayProgram: WBAICollection: Attica
Bruce Soloway interviews Frank Smith, a prisoner and a leader of the Attica rebellion, isolated from the media since its violent end. Smith speaks on the torture he received following the rebellion, the premeditated murder of LD Barkley, the racial problems created by the institution, the inhumane treatment towards prisoners by the judicial and correctional department, and the lack of educational materials and health care within the prison. Smith emphasizes the need for communication between guards and prisoners and the need for the oppressed people of the United States to start act to change the conditions of their lives. After five years of incarceration Smith reports that Attica has changed for the worse. Excerpted on PM 151.
Arthur Eve on Attica Arthur Eve on Attica
Date: 1/1/1972Call Number: PM 156Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Rob CrockerProgram: WBAICollection: Attica
Arthur Eve, black Assemblyman from Buffalo, New York and a member of the Attica rebellion observer committee speaks about what happened during the rebellion. He was one of the first people to enter the prison at the rebellion’s inception. He talks about the involvement of the other observer committee members (Bobby Seale, Kenyatta, The Young Lords, FIGHT, Tom Hicks). Arthur Eve wrote to Governor Rockefeller asking him to come to Attica to avoid massacre. Eve talks about how the prison officials lied to the prisoners, about Frank Smith and his torture by prison officials.
Attica Attica
Date: 1/1/1973Call Number: V 033Format: VHSProducers: Cinda FirestoneCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
Archival footage, photographs and interviews from Attica prison and the Attica prison rebellion.
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.
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.
Nothing is More Precious Than (9-13-75) Nothing is More Precious Than (9-13-75)
Call Number: CD 578Format: CDProgram: NIMPTCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
Program that is centered on the second anniversary of the coup in Chile and the fourth anniverary of the Attica prison rebellion. Chile section features actuality of Salvador Allende speech at UN, Pete Seeger on Victor Jara. Attica section features actuality of Frank Smith, William Kunstler, Amiri Baraka and several unnamed prisoners on Attica conditions, the rebellion, and the state's brutal response. Program also includes updates on repression at Wounded Knee and against the American Indian Movement, and an update on the San Quentin 6 trial. Bruce Soloway reports on Attica trials and solidarity events (including Amiri Baraka talk in Buffalo), then Claude Marks/Lincoln Bergman mix of Attica actuality. NIMPT 9-13-75 [NI036] Note: Some of the Attica actuality used on Freedom Archives “Prisons on Fire” CD.
Attica Attica
Date: 1/1/2009Call Number: CD 721Format: DVDProducers: Cinda FirestoneCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
Archival footage, photographs and interviews from Attica prison and the Attica prison rebellion. Restored from master by Director - Cinda Firestone in 2009.
Attica Attica
Date: 1/1/2009Call Number: CD 722Format: DVDProducers: Cinda FirestoneCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
Archival footage, photographs and interviews from Attica prison and the Attica prison rebellion. Restored from master by Director - Cinda Firestone in 2009.
Attica Attica
Date: 1/1/1973Call Number: CD 732Format: DVDProducers: Cinda FirestoneCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
Archival footage, photographs and interviews from Attica prison and the Attica prison rebellion.