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 Death of George Jackson The Death of George Jackson
Date: 7/9/1974Call Number: PM 131Format: 1/4 15 ipsCollection: George Jackson
Interviews and sound bites of several different people and groups about the death of George Jackson and the six people killed at San Quentin Federal Prison. Includes interviews with Willy Brown, shoppers at a Berkeley grocery store, and Ronald Reagan. Police riot in San Francisco courtroom 8/26/71.
Herman Bell interview (2 of 3) Herman Bell interview (2 of 3)
Call Number: V 075Format: VHSProducers: John O’ReillyCollection: New York 3
Interview tape 2 of 3 of Herman Bell. Continues talking about Nuh and ho w he received his name and went from Albert to Nuh Washington. Asked about changing his name - both Jalil and Nuh changed their names and became Muslim, Herman did neither. Talks about the importance of freeing political prisoners - they are/were the leaders of the streets. Frustrated at how many young people (particularly men) in poor communities of color are turning against each other, assaulted by an intentional infestation of drugs, and have no guidance/traditions which could be passed on if the political prisoners were freed. Asked about his mentors - growing up he talks a lot about Malcolm X, mentions Patrice Lumumba and the case of the Congo. As early as 14, Bell was politicized by Malcolm. Discusses his resentment towards Ebony magazine for being so conservative and portraying a black petty bourgeoisie lifestyle. Discusses his home life and that his parents bought into the apple pie American dream myth, didn’t approve of Herman or his sister in the Black Panther Party. Discusses militarization of police throughout history, profiling, brutality, and surveillance. Reagan starting SWAT teams in California. Says that things are much worse for young black males today, demonized by the mainstream, the disparity of drug laws and heightened policing. Briefly discusses first trip to Watts after the rebellion - looked like a “war zone”. Watts and Huey talking about arming himself - two politicizing moments in his life.
Herman Bell interview (all 3 tapes) Herman Bell interview (all 3 tapes)
Call Number: V 077Format: VHSProducers: John O’ReillyCollection: New York 3
Compilation of Videos 74-76 (see those descriptions)
Eldridge Cleaver speaking at California Hall Eldridge Cleaver speaking at California Hall
Date: 11/21/1968Call Number: KP 033Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: KPFACollection: Cleaver, Eldridge
Eldridge Cleaver addresses California Hall on prison rehabilitation. Cleaver offers his views on the sadistic nature of prison guards and alludes to the fact that no real rehabilitation can actually happen in prison under the control of the “sadistic fiends and cruel men who control that apparatus”. Cleaver reveals his dislike for mayor Alioto, Reagan. Good sound bytes about LBJ (Lyndon Baines Johnson) having blood on his fingers.
Assata Shakur: clips from her 1980 address to the people after her escape from prison Assata Shakur: clips from her 1980 address to the people after her escape from prison
Call Number: PM 227Format: CassetteCollection: Assata Shakur
This program is an edited version of her address to the people after she escaped. She begins the recording by stating that she loves everyone and encourages everyone to continue to struggle for our liberation. Assata talks about how Black people are constantly under attack by the poor school system, infiltration of drugs, welfare system, police state, etc. She talks about the necessity for a Black Nation and how Black women must play a key role in the struggle for liberation. She says that they are the most closely related to the struggle because of their position in White American society. Assata talks about the direction of the US government and how it is continually becoming more racist and fascist; how the government sees Black peoples as expendable and just "a thorn in their side."
Assata Shakur: clips from her 1980 address to the people after her escape from prison Assata Shakur: clips from her 1980 address to the people after her escape from prison
Call Number: PM 228Format: CassetteCollection: Assata Shakur
Same as PM 227. This program is an edited version of her address to the people after she escaped. She begins the recording by stating that she loves everyone and encourages everyone to continue to struggle for our liberation. Assata talks about how Black people are constantly under attack by the poor school system, infiltration of drugs, welfare system, police state, etc. She talks about the necessity for a Black Nation and how Black women must play a key role in the struggle for liberation. She says that they are the most closely related to the struggle because of their position in White American society. Assata talks about the direction of the US government and how it is continually becoming more racist and fascist; how the government sees Black peoples as expendable and just "a thorn in their side."
Assata Shakur: clips from her 1980 address to the people after her escape from prison Assata Shakur: clips from her 1980 address to the people after her escape from prison
Call Number: CD 291Format: CDCollection: Assata Shakur
Same as PM227 This program is an edited version of her address to the people after she escaped. She begins the recording by stating that she loves everyone and encourages everyone to continue to struggle for our liberation. Assata talks about how Black people are constantly under attack by the poor school system, infiltration of drugs, welfare system, police state, etc. She talks about the necessity for a Black Nation and how Black women must play a key role in the struggle for liberation. She says that they are the most closely related to the struggle because of their position in White American society. Assata talks about the direction of the US government and how it is continually becoming more racist and fascist; how the government sees Black peoples as expendable and just "a thorn in their side." .
Those Who Do Nothing Make No Mistakes Those Who Do Nothing Make No Mistakes
Author: Martin Sostre & Weather UndergroundPublisher: Bay Area Research CollectiveFormat: PamphletCollection: Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA)
This pamphlet is a response by Martin Sostre and the Weather Underground to the shootings of SLA members on May 17, 1974 in Los Angeles. Martin commemorates actions taken by the SLA and mourns the loss of those members. The Weather Underground also celebrates the SLA and pushes to continue the revolutionary armed struggle.
Dragon Dragon
Publisher: Bay Area Research CollectiveYear: 1975Volume Number: No. 4 NovemberFormat: PeriodicalCollection: The Dragon
Table of Contents: Introduction, Letter from Emily Harris, October 27, 1975, Lolita Lebron and Blanca Canales, Susan Saze Statement, June 9, 1975, On Being Underground -- Katherine Power and Susan Saxe, Colation Against Psychiatric Assault: Demonstration, A Collective Letter to the Women's Movement from the Women of the Weather Underground, WUO Women's Brigade bombs Dept of H.E.W., March 1974, Poem, Statement from Sisters of the Symbionese Liberation Army, October 21, 1975, Militant Women: a Brief History, Open Letter to the Fighting Forces, Puerto Rican Solidarity, New World Liberation Front Communique: Fort Ord