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

Negroes with Guns - Part 2 Negroes with Guns - Part 2
Date: 5/31/1962Call Number: RFW 030Format: CDCollection: Robert F. Williams!
We have no legal rights to reproduce or distribute this item! Industrial Development Coalition. Tax exemptions and incentives to corporations from the North who were not hiring Black people – taxation without representation. Integration of schools in Monroe. No buses to Black schools so Black children had to walk long distances even though there were white schools a few blocks from their homes. Early experiences of the Freedom Riders. Felt very comfortable in Monroe. Did not have any conflicts with the white people in the town. Monroe whites attack picket lines. Provided new understanding of conditions to Freedom Riders. RFW advised them that it was okay to be pacifist but to beware that being openly pacifist can open up the group to violent attacks. Friday before fleeing Monroe (August 25, 1961), 10 year old boy Prentiss Robinson beaten by 3 white men in town, 3 Freedom Riders attacked in the next county – one escapes by running into the woods but went missing. Law enforcement was asked to assist in finding him to avoid potential violence against him by anti-Freedom Riders, but no assistance. Freedom Riders request protection. RFW brings demands to governor’s aide – Hugh B. Cannon. Freedom Riders are threatened by white racists. Sheriff’s department brings over 5000 white racists into the town to fight the Freedom Riders. On Sunday, August 27, 1961 the Freedom Riders were beaten and jailed for picketing violations. Members of the community begin to arm themselves against the white racists. The Kidnapping Story. Phone call from the sheriff of Monroe threatening the arrival of state troopers to arrest and kill RFW. Decided to leave Monroe, not because they feared indictment, but for the family’s safety. Mae Mallory comes to Monroe with many others and media. Aim: show the “viciousness” happening in Monroe. Governor tells people coming in that they can trust in justice but Black people continually treated unjustly. Black man received a 5 year sentence for leering at a white woman. $1900 settlement for death of Black girls. Women and men attacked and beaten – assailants freed. US Justice Dept. spreads lies around the country about RFW.
Robert F Williams Interview with Marc Schleifer - Part 2 Robert F Williams Interview with Marc Schleifer - Part 2
Date: 7/4/1962Call Number: RFW 033Format: CDProducers: Marc SchleiferCollection: Robert F. Williams!
We have no legal rights to reproduce or distribute this item! Pacifica Radio—Mark Schleifer Interview—Disk 2 Track 1 Events leading to Williams’ exile Talks about context in which Freedom Riders came to support their demands in Monroe and the role of non-violent protest in Monroe. He didn’t expect much of the Freedom Riders, because they sometimes made backroom deals and concessions with legislators. Freedom Riders were met with unparalleled aggression by white supremacists, and they were somewhat naïve (white activists who thought the law would be on their side because they were pacifists). The whites in Monroe smiled at them for the first couple days, but later their pickets started to be attacked and tensions grew. They shouldn’t have advertised their non-violent position, because it would invite violence. NAACP pickets weren’t messed with because the members were trained in self-defense. Track 2 (Freedom Riders cont.) There was a riot in reaction to the Freedom Rider picket. Cops were taking arms from Blacks and giving them to whites. The City sprayed the picket line with insecticide and passed an ordinance that said that the picketers had to be 15 ft. apart. The cops participated in mob violence against the Freedom Riders and Black Monroe supporters. Blacks coming from other places (church, etc.) were attacked. Freedom Riders and supporters were jailed without medical attention after beatings. Williams threatened an armed march on the jail if the didn’t get medical attention. They ended up getting it. After that, whites started passing by Williams’ house. Track 3 Account of incidents leading to them leaving Monroe. Track 4 Discusses indictments of Lowry, Crowder, Reese, Roy, Mallory.
Robert F Williams Interview with Marc Schleifer Part 2 Robert F Williams Interview with Marc Schleifer Part 2
Date: 7/4/1962Call Number: RFW 038Format: CDProducers: Marc SchleiferCollection: Robert F. Williams!
We have no legal rights to reproduce or distribute this item! Pacifica Radio - Marc Schleifer interview Track 1 industrial commission development ***3:12 Freedom Riders (to 8min) 8min beating of 10-year old for being on picket line, others attacked 9:30 police refused to protect them 12:00 Governor's assistant - death threat 14:30 no FBI help 15min threats against Freedom Riders 16min Black community defends itself against supremacist crowd Track 2 0:41 minutemen, racists gather in town, Klan ready to attack students & Freedom Riders 1:38 cops disarm Blacks, give them over to whites 2:20 cops become vicious - spray Freedom Riders with insecticides 3:30 police participated openly in violence August 27, 1961 6min demanded medical attention for Freedom Riders 7:40 "open season on coons" Track 3 1min the incident 8:50 life threatened 11:15 heard about indictment 14:19 indicted & house raided after they left Track 4 4:15 they meant to get rid of me with charges (no justice in North Carolina) *11min justice department part of the conspiracy *15min the only crime was to fight for human rights...over 5000 arrested (to end)
Negroes with Guns - Part 2 Negroes with Guns - Part 2
Date: 5/31/1962Call Number: RFW 050Format: CDCollection: Robert F. Williams!
We have no legal rights to reproduce or distribute this item! Industrial Development Coalition. Tax exemptions and incentives to corporations from the North who were not hiring Black people – taxation without representation. Integration of schools in Monroe. No buses to Black schools so Black children had to walk long distances even though there were white schools a few blocks from their homes. Early experiences of the Freedom Riders. Felt very comfortable in Monroe. Did not have any conflicts with the white people in the town. Monroe whites attack picket lines. Provided new understanding of conditions to Freedom Riders. RFW advised them that it was okay to be pacifist but to beware that being openly pacifist can open up the group to violent attacks. Friday before fleeing Monroe (August 25, 1961), 10 year old boy Prentiss Robinson beaten by 3 white men in town, 3 Freedom Riders attacked in the next county – one escapes by running into the woods but went missing. Law enforcement was asked to assist in finding him to avoid potential violence against him by anti-Freedom Riders, but no assistance. Freedom Riders request protection. RFW brings demands to governor’s aide – Hugh B. Cannon. Freedom Riders are threatened by white racists. Sheriff’s department brings over 5000 white racists into the town to fight the Freedom Riders. On Sunday, August 27, 1961 the Freedom Riders were beaten and jailed for picketing violations. Members of the community begin to arm themselves against the white racists. The Kidnapping Story. Phone call from the sheriff of Monroe threatening the arrival of state troopers to arrest and kill RFW. Decided to leave Monroe, not because they feared indictment, but for the family’s safety. Mae Mallory comes to Monroe with many others and media. Aim: show the “viciousness” happening in Monroe. Governor tells people coming in that they can trust in justice but Black people continually treated unjustly. Black man received a 5 year sentence for leering at a white woman. $1900 settlement for death of Black girls. Women and men attacked and beaten – assailants freed. US Justice Dept. spreads lies around the country about RFW. Same as RFW 030