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

Paul Robeson Centennial Tribute, Part 13 Paul Robeson Centennial Tribute, Part 13
Date: 1/1/1998Call Number: CD 222Format: CDProducers: Eugene GordonCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
The Forties, Part Two: Turning point in Robeson’s life. He reaches the greatest heights as artist and much-loved personality, but then is persecuted and despised. Medlies of Robeson songs.
Paul Robeson Centennial Tribute, Part 14 Paul Robeson Centennial Tribute, Part 14
Date: 1/1/1998Call Number: CD 223Format: CDProducers: Eugene GordonCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
Tragedy or Triumph?: A thorough discussion of tragedy and whether Robeson’s life falls into that category. Much Robeson music; also Ella Fitzgerald and lots of Billie Holiday.
Paul Robeson Centennial Tribute, Part 15 Paul Robeson Centennial Tribute, Part 15
Date: 1/1/1998Call Number: CD 224Format: CDProducers: Eugene GordonCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
Tragedy or Triumph?, Part 2: An even deeper discussion of tragedy. Sergei Eisenstein “directs” a film called “The Tragedy of Paul Robeson,” with music from Prokofiev’s “Alexander Nevsky.”
Paul Robeson Centennial Tribute, Part 16 Paul Robeson Centennial Tribute, Part 16
Date: 1/1/1998Call Number: CD 225Format: CDProducers: Eugene GordonCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
Tragedy or Triumph?, Part 3: Robeson as Othello, a rare recording from 1943. Discussion of “The Emperor Jones.” Music by Pete Seeger, Josh White, Leontyne Price, Billie Holiday, and Paul Robeson.
Paul Robeson Centennial Tribute, Part 17 Paul Robeson Centennial Tribute, Part 17
Date: 1/1/1998Call Number: CD 226Format: CDProducers: Eugene GordonCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
Paul Robeson Junior: Robeson in “Othello,” with Jose Ferrer and Uta Hagen. A reading of Paul Robeson Junior’s article about his father. Robeson sings Congo Lullaby and more. Marian Anderson sings.
Paul Robeson Centennial Tribute, Part 18 Paul Robeson Centennial Tribute, Part 18
Date: 1/1/1998Call Number: CD 227Format: CDProducers: Eugene GordonCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
Paul Robeson Junior, Part 2: More Robeson as Othello and more reading of Paul robeson Junior’s article on his father. Music by Teddy Wilson, Thelonius Monk. Verdi’s “Othello.” Robeson sings.
Paul Robeson Centennial Tribute, Part 19 Paul Robeson Centennial Tribute, Part 19
Date: 1/1/1998Call Number: CD 228Format: CDProducers: Eugene GordonCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
Othello: A long selection from the 1943 Broadway production of “Othello” with Robeson in the starring role. A discussion of the play and its meaning for Robeson. Two songs by Billie Holiday.
Paul Robeson Centennial Tribute, Part 20 Paul Robeson Centennial Tribute, Part 20
Date: 1/1/1998Call Number: CD 229Format: CDProducers: Eugene GordonCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
The Cult of Paul Robeson: Are we members of a cult? Paul sings Sonny Boy, Little Pal, So Shy, and a few lullabies. Songs by Lena Horne, Harry Belafonte, Pete Seeger, Sarah Vaughn.
Paul Robeson Centennial Tribute, Part 21 Paul Robeson Centennial Tribute, Part 21
Date: 1/1/1998Call Number: CD 230Format: CDProducers: Eugene GordonCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
The Spirit of Paul Robeson: Readings from some of the many tributes sent to Robeson on his illness and condolences to his family upon his death. Music by Count Basie, Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman.
Paul Robeson Centennial Tribute, Part 22 Paul Robeson Centennial Tribute, Part 22
Date: 1/1/1998Call Number: CD 231Format: CDProducers: Eugene GordonCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
Pablo Neruda: “Ode to Paul Robeson” : A reading of the poem; Robeson singing “Shenendoah” and more. Music by Duke Ellington, Harry Belafonte, Sarah Vaughn, and two arias by Leontyne Price.