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.

Independent Collections

These collections were produced by independent journalists. Many of these recordings make up the bulk of the original collection of the Freedom Archives.

Subcollections

Documents

Interview with Stokely Carmichael - Part 1 Interview with Stokely Carmichael - Part 1
Date: 10/29/1966Call Number: CE 044Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Colin EdwardsCollection: Colin Edwards Collection
Colin Edwards interviews Carmichael in the SF offices of the Movement Newspaper (Friends of SNCC). In depth about his political development, involvement with SNCC, relationship between white militants and Black Liberation Movement, demands for Black Power, and support for Vietnam's national liberation.
Interview with Stokely Carmichael - Part 2 Interview with Stokely Carmichael - Part 2
Date: 10/29/1966Call Number: CE 045Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Colin EdwardsCollection: Colin Edwards Collection
Colin Edwards interviews Carmichael in the SF offices of the Movement Newspaper (Friends of SNCC). In depth about his political development, involvement with SNCC, relationship between white militants and Black Liberation Movement, demands for Black Power, and support for Vietnam's national liberation.
Berkeley Black Power Conference Berkeley Black Power Conference
Date: 10/29/1966Call Number: CE 046Format: 1/4 3 3/4 ipsProducers: Colin EdwardsCollection: Colin Edwards Collection
Speakers include Ivanhoe Donaldson - NY Director of SNCC, Brother Lennie - Community Alert Program of LA, Ron Karenga - Watts, and Stokely Carmichael. Seminal speech by Carmichael on Black Power and SNCC. (slight loss at reel change)
Black Panther Press Conference & Rally Black Panther Press Conference & Rally
Date: 4/12/1968Call Number: CE 047Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Colin EdwardsCollection: Colin Edwards Collection
Conference followed the funeral of Bobby Hutton, 17-year old treasurer of the Black Panther Party, unarmed and slain by Oakland Police April 6, 1968. Also includes Peace and Freedom Party Rally after the funeral. Speakers include actor Marlon Brando, Panthers Bobby Seale, Kathleen Cleaver and George Murray, Kenneth Denmon and Bob Avakian (P&F), James Forman of SNCC, Louella Cleaver (Eldridge Cleaver's sister - Eldridge and Warren Wells were shot and wounded in the same police attack).
Berkeley Black Power Conference - 2 Berkeley Black Power Conference - 2
Date: 10/29/1966Call Number: CE 061Format: 1/4 3 3/4 ipsProducers: Colin EdwardsCollection: Colin Edwards Collection
James Shaw - San Jose SNCC introduction to Reverend James Bevel - an original Freedom Rider & with the Chicago Direct Action Movement. Bevel discusses Black Power & non-violence, organizing to overcome tyranny and slavery and the inhumanity of western capitalism.
Berkeley Black Power Conference - 3 Berkeley Black Power Conference - 3
Date: 10/29/1966Call Number: CE 062Format: 1/4 3 3/4 ipsProducers: Colin EdwardsCollection: Colin Edwards Collection
Damay Grey, poet Austin Black and Lou Gothard from Los Angeles. Later Elijah Turner takes some questions. Statements by Mike Smith and Mike Parker of SDS.
Julius Lester and H. Rap Brown at the Village Theater Julius Lester and H. Rap Brown at the Village Theater
Date: 9/1/1967Call Number: CE 097Format: 1/4 3 3/4 ipsCollection: Colin Edwards Collection
SNCC leaders address a New York crowd about Black Power and Vietnam.
Staughton Lynd - Part 1 Staughton Lynd - Part 1
Call Number: CE 499Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Collin EdwardsCollection: Colin Edwards Collection
Staughton Lynd discusses the origins of SNCC, the formation of Freedom Schools in the South and the continued fight for Civil Rights under the new Black Power Movement.
Staughton Lynd - Part 2 Staughton Lynd - Part 2
Call Number: CE 500Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Collin EdwardsCollection: Colin Edwards Collection
Lynd discusses what the shift in Black Power meant for SNCC’s administrative organization and the New Left in relation to Civil Rights. Additionally, Lynd discusses Black education further in terms of the creation of Free Schools and the value and productivity of Teach-Ins.
Collin Edwards - Interview with Robert and Dorothy Zellner - Part 1 Collin Edwards - Interview with Robert and Dorothy Zellner - Part 1
Call Number: CE 501Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsCollection: Colin Edwards Collection
Robert Zellner, the first white staff member of SNCC and wife Dorothy Zellner discuss their motivations behind their involvement with SNCC as well as social and political atmosphere of the South during the Civil Rights Movement. Additionally, the Zellners discuss the power of sit-ins and protest and the necessity of the consciousness generated to inspire and renew the drive towards social change.