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

The Resistance Conspiracy The Resistance Conspiracy
Date: 4/13/1989Call Number: PM 222Format: CassetteProgram: In our VoicesCollection: Political Prisoners- General Info
Judy Greenspan, Mary O’Melviney, and Nikichi Taifa -- lawyers and activists-- discuss the Resistance Conspiracy Case and the struggles for Laura Whitehorn, Marilyn Buck, Linda Evans, Tim Blunk, Susan Rosenberg, and Alan Berkman, all charged with "conspiracy to protest and alter government policies through use of violence," specifically stemming from a bombing of the Capitol Building in 1983. This broadcast explores the political nature of the case, the lack of evidence and due process involved in this case, as well as the horrendous conditions faced by these prisoners of war. Judy Greenspan, Mary O'Melviney, and Nikichi Taifa also try to contextualize the actions of these prisoners with a broader justice movement against the crimes of the U.S. nationally and internationally.
West Block (Gun Rail) Bay Side West Block (Gun Rail) Bay Side
Date: 6/2/1989Call Number: V 178Format: VHSCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
In this video, prison guards videotape a cellblock tier in order to determine ideal prisoner surveillance.
Ghosts ...Of The Civil Dead Ghosts ...Of The Civil Dead
Date: 6/23/1989Call Number: PM 286Format: Cass A & BCollection: Political Prisoner Periodicals
Soundtrack to Australian film consisting of prisoners and guards speaking over music.
Cuatemoc Cardenas at the Commonwealth Club (Part 2 of 2) and KPFA Morning Show Interview with Pat Faydom, Bobby Seale and David Hillard Cuatemoc Cardenas at the Commonwealth Club (Part 2 of 2) and KPFA Morning Show Interview with Pat Faydom, Bobby Seale and David Hillard
Date: 11/16/1989Call Number: CV 042BFormat: Cass BCollection: Chuy Varela Collection
Conclusion of Cuatemoc Cardena at Commonwealth Club Q and A session (Part 2 of 2). KFPA Morning Show interviews with Pam Fadem, Bobby Seale and David Hilliard about Political Prisoner Geronimo Pratt and the mobilization to free him.