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

Against Contra Aid Against Contra Aid
Date: 3/14/1986Call Number: CAA 010Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Emiiiano Echeverria, Nina SerranoCollection: Arts, literature and poetry – a program series produced by Comunicacion Aztlan
A radio broadcast of poetry against Contra aid to Nicaragua. Intro and outro louder than rest of tape. A poetry reading by Roberto Vargas, Vida Luz Meneses, Victor Hernandez Cruz, David Henderson, & Janice Mirikitani. Translations read by Nina Serrano. MC, Alejandro Murguia Same as CD 394
Poetry reading by Ernesto Cardenal Poetry reading by Ernesto Cardenal
Call Number: LA 113BFormat: Cass BCollection: Nicaragua
Poetry reading followed by a short question and answer dialogue from Father Ernesto Cardenal of Nicaragua. Poems, including "The Big Bang", "Wall and Water Street" and other pieces, are read in Spanish with English translation. Cardenal is known as one of the greatest living Latin American poets today. He wrote during the Samoza dictatorship and the Sandanista overthrow of Samoza in 1979. Through his poems, Cardenal brings together science and poetry, science and mysticism, mysticism and revolution, and poetry and politics. He speaks out against oppression and searches to preserve the unity of creation through spiritual insight. In a short question and answer period at the end of the reading, Cardenal discusses how Nicaraguan culture and revolution are entertwined and how poetry is an expression of the revolution. Cardenal also talks about his priesthood as a lifelong commitment and of poetry as a religious practice.
Interview with Luis Godoy Interview with Luis Godoy
Call Number: LA 115Format: CassetteCollection: Nicaragua
1989 interview with Nicaraguan revolutionary musician, Luis Godoy. Godoy was born in 1945 during the Samoza dictatorship. He speaks about the responsibility of an artist to send an important message and raise the consciousness of the people. Godoy then explained that from a very young age he realized that he could express the injustices of Nicaragua through songs, "I realized that my music could be used as a social tool". Throughout the interview, Godoy discusses those who have influenced his music, his involvement with past bands, and his visions for the future in both his musical career and for his country.
Daniel Ortega’s speech to the people of the United States Daniel Ortega’s speech to the people of the United States
Call Number: LA 119BFormat: Cass BCollection: Nicaragua
Daniel Ortega, former president of Nicaragua (1985-1990), speaks to the people of the U.S. about the U.S. backed Contra war in Nicaragua. Ortega emphasizes the affects that the war has had on the people of Nicaragua, materially, spiritually, and politically. Ortega lays out specific steps the U.S. should take in order to support democracy in Nicaragua, talks about the U.S. embargo as a violation of human rights. Speech was broadcasted on WRFG radio in Atlanta, Georgia. Recordings include music by Grupo Mancotal.
Against Contra Aid Against Contra Aid
Date: 3/14/1986Call Number: CD 394Format: CDProducers: Emiiiano Echeverria, Nina SerranoCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
A radio broadcast of poetry against Contra aid to Nicaragua. Intro and outro louder than rest of tape. A poetry reading by Roberto Vargas, Vida Luz Meneses, Victor Hernandez Cruz, David Henderson, & Janice Mirikitani. Translations read by Nina Serrano. MC, Alejandro Murguia Same as CAA 010
Victor Tinoco Interview Victor Tinoco Interview
Call Number: LA 184AFormat: Cass ACollection: Nicaragua
Victor Tinoco speaks about Sandinista's anti-imperialism and their need for foreign aid. Also discussed are Cuba's dependence on Soviet aid as well as the demands being placed on Nicaragua by President Bush.
Saul Landau on US Intervention in Central America Saul Landau on US Intervention in Central America
Call Number: KP 507Format: Cass A & BCollection: Struggles in Latin America
Saul Landau is the guest speaker discussing US foreign policy in Central America. Landau discusses what he calls the "national security" state, anti-communism, and the American public opinion. Landau makes connections between the Nixon and Reagan administrations, and discusses the Arias Plan. Followed by Q&A.
The World is Watching The World is Watching
Call Number: V 709Format: VHSProducers: White Pine PicturesCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
The World is Watching focuses on several international journalists in Nicaragua as they cover the negotiations surrounding the Arias Peace Plan in November 1987. This film examines the role journalists played in the US-financed Contra War.