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

Interview with Diane Russell Interview with Diane Russell
Call Number: SS 124AFormat: Cass AProducers: Sue SuprianoCollection: Sue Supriano Interviews and Programs
Interview with Diane Russell on her book, "Lives of Courage: Women for a New South Africa."
Interview with Joyce Sikakae Interview with Joyce Sikakae
Date: 8/1/1983Call Number: SS 052AFormat: Cass AProducers: Sue SuprianoCollection: Sue Supriano Interviews and Programs
Interview with Joyce Sikakae about the fight for independence in South Africa as well as her life as a South African writer and activist.
Winnie Mandela interview Winnie Mandela interview
Call Number: KP 045Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProgram: Freedom Is A Constant StruggleCollection: African liberation movements
Winnie Mandela is interviewed on her political trajectory, discrimination she encountered, and the freedom struggle in South Africa. Speaks to her role both as a social worker and organizer with Black Women's Federation.
Interview with Joyce Kangai of the ZANU (Zimbabwe African National Union) Women’s League Interview with Joyce Kangai of the ZANU (Zimbabwe African National Union) Women’s League
Date: 2/10/1980Call Number: AFR 007AFormat: Cass ACollection: Zimbabwe
A representative from the New York Material Aid Campaign for ZANU interviews Joyce Kangai, Publicity Secretary of the ZANU Women’s League. Kangai talks about how the Zimbabwean elections are being discredited and attacked by outside, imperialist forces such as Britain, Ian Smith of Rhodesia, Rhodesian armed forces, and South Africa. She states that these armed forces are all harrassing ZANU, attempting to forcibly keep the organization from the polls, and trying to eliminate democratic elections by claiming ZANU violated the ceasefire and by attacking ZANU leaders and supporters & their families, and homes. She also speaks about the increased participation of ZANU women in the struggle against the oppressors, the conditions of life for women under the whites and the goals and needs of the women of ZANU.
PAC Chairman  Nyati Pokela  interview (Pan Africanist Congress of South Africa) PAC Chairman Nyati Pokela interview (Pan Africanist Congress of South Africa)
Date: 11/13/1982Call Number: AFR 009AFormat: Cass AProgram: Songs of FreedomCollection: South Africa
Judy Jensen of the Material Aid Campaign for ZANU interviews the Chairman of South Africa’s PAC (Pan Africanist Congress). Nyati Pokela speaks about the history and purpose of the PAC and explains what Bantustans are and why they were created. He explains why the PAC and the ANC (African National Congress) deem it necessary to engage in armed struggle against the Apartheid government, and how the PAC’s leaders lead by example by taking risks for the cause. Pokelu details the role of women in the struggle and the conditions of the black population of South Africa, and explains the unequal development of different African countries toward independence. He talks about the similarities between the struggles in South Africa and the US, and calls for solidarity with the PAC and Africa’s cause.
Nangula Hamutenya and Aaron Mushimba of SWAPO (South West African People’s Organization) Women’s Council Nangula Hamutenya and Aaron Mushimba of SWAPO (South West African People’s Organization) Women’s Council
Date: 9/15/1981Call Number: AFR 024Format: Cass A & BCollection: SWAPO- Namibia
Nangula Hamutenya, Department officer and Regional secretary for information and political orientation for SWAPO (South West African People’s Organization) Women’s Council, speaks about the creation of the women’s council as one of SWAPO’s wings to reflect all of Zambia. She stresses that the SWAPO women’s council is against inequality, and for the active participation of women in the struggle for liberation. She talks about the council’s goals to organize the women of Namibia and to take care of the refugee women and children. She calls on women all over the world to fight with other women for their rights. Aaron Mushimba, chief representative for SWAPO at the Lusaka, Zambia office, talks about the attacks by the South African government on liberation struggles in Namibia, Zambia, and Angola. He emphasizes that SWAPO freedom fighters receive ideological and military training in helping the Namibian struggle, and also mentions that women freedom fighters are equal in all respects, except some of the tougher military training.
Conference on Zimbabwe after independence. Conference on Zimbabwe after independence.
Date: 2/27/1982Call Number: AFR 032Format: Cass A & BCollection: May 19th Communist Organization
Conference on Zimbabwe after independence, featuring speakers Judy Jensen of Material Aid Campaign for ZANU (Zimbabwe African National Union), Comrade Johnny of Zimbabwean Missions, Marcy Shulman of May 19th Communist Organization, Sister Assata Shakur and Serge Mukendi of FLNC (Congolese National Liberation Front), and Ahmed Obafemi, the East Coast Region Vice President of the RNA (Republic of New Africa). Jensen speaks first on the Material Aid Campaign’s goals of building solidarity with Namibia’s struggle against South African and American imperialism through the “Dollars for Bullets” campaign in solidarity with PLAN (People’s Liberation Army of Namibia). She points to Zimbabwe’s victory as bringing support to Namibia’s struggle through resources and moral support. Later she speaks on efforts to aid in Zimbabwe’s reconstruction. Comrade Johnny speaks about how the armed struggle was essential for victory, and how revolution never dies. After liberation, Zimbabwe must still continue the long process of freeing people from the white imperialist structures. He tells of the history of the Zimbabwe struggle, and how a development plan must be set up in reconstruction. Marcy Shulman speaks about women’s role in fighting for liberation. Assata Shakur and Serge Mukendi the oppressive situation the people of the Congo find themselves after the assassination of Patrice Lumumba. Mukendi calls for an armed peoples war for national liberation and socialism, and calls for solidarity with SWAPO (South West African People’s Organization). Ahmed Obafemi begins his speech, continued on AFR 033. Tape 1, 2/27 DFB
Conference on liberation struggles in Zimbabwe and the Congo. Conference on liberation struggles in Zimbabwe and the Congo.
Call Number: AFR 034Format: Cass A & BCollection: African liberation movements
Conference on liberation struggles in Africa, particularly Zimbabwe and the Congo. Judy Clark of the ZANU (Zimbabwe African National Union) Women’s League speaks on the ongoing struggle for liberation and reconstruction in Zimbabwe, Namibia, South Africa, and Congo. The ZANU Women’s League raises support for women fighting for liberation and equality. Serge Mukendi of the FLNC (Congolese National Liberation Front) speaks on the history of the struggle for independence in the Congo, and calls the people to fight for liberation against white colonialist structures. Judy Clark again speaks on the legacy and power of Patrice Lumumba in the continuing struggle for liberation in the Congo. Alajo Adegbalola, Minister of Defense for the Provisional government of the RNA (Republic of New Africa), speaks on the importance of the unity of the RNA in fighting for liberation in Africa. He also speaks on the history of black person’s struggle in America and the Civil Rights Movement.
The history of the slave trade The history of the slave trade
Call Number: AFR 056Format: Cass A & BProducers: WBAI RadioProgram: WBAI Special Premium: “Spirits of the Passage”Collection: Africa- General Resources
Historian John Henrik Clarke reads Madeline Burnside’s book “Spirits of the Passage”. The recording begins with a background history of slavery in the world, and of the slave trade. Clarke, author of the book “Critical Lessons of Slavery and the Slave Trade”, speaks on the slave trade in its historical context. Professor of African American history at Howard University, Olive Taylor, explains how the slave trade has had an impact on dancing, and she also discusses international law and the slave trade. Ali Mazrui, creator of the PBS TV series “The Africans”, discusses modern day slavery in Sudan. Side B is a continuation of Side A, with Mazrui speaking about South Africa, Brazil, and the Arab world’s involvement in the slave trade and racial categories.
ZANU representatives interview two South African women about education in their coutnry. Also, French radio program on Congo. ZANU representatives interview two South African women about education in their coutnry. Also, French radio program on Congo.
Call Number: AFR 064Format: Cass A & BCollection: South Africa
Recorded off mic. ZANU representatives interview two women from South Africa about education in South Africa. The South African women from Soweto speak about the lack of education for children in South Africa, especially those from the townships. Recording breaks abruptly into a French radio program on the Congo, recorded in French. Side B is a continuation of French radio program.