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 Case of Silvia Baraldini The Case of Silvia Baraldini
Date: 4/16/1991Call Number: PM 267Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Sally O'BrianProgram: Where We LiveCollection: Silvia Baraldini
Silvia Baraldini describes her harsh treatment and that of other U.S. political prisoners. Her attorney, Elizabeth Fink, comments on the lack of evidence presented at trial and the extreme sentencing and punishment of Baraldini at the Lexington Federal Prison. Italian member of Parliament Emma Bonino, and Italian journalist Patricia Lambroso comment on Italian parliamentary and public support for Baraldini.
Marion and Lexington Control Units Marion and Lexington Control Units
Date: 3/18/1988Call Number: V 339Format: VHSProgram: 20/20Collection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
Three videos on control units in the US. Marion Control Units - a history of control units in the US, focusing mainly on Marion. Black prisoners in the US prisons, prison demographics by race and rate. Lexington Control Unit - Includes interviews with Alejandrina Torres, Susan Rosenberg and Sylvia Baraldrini about the conditions in the control unit and the effects of sensory deprivation. Marion 20/20 - a discussion of the techniques used at USP Marion, including testimonies from prisoners and the warden. Transcript of 20/20 piece available for download.
USP Florence-Pelican Bay SHU USP Florence-Pelican Bay SHU
Date: 1/1/1992Call Number: V 427Format: VHSCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
Story on CNN in the 1990s. ADX Florence has been called “the Alcatraz of the Rockies” and CNN repeats the official government position that ADX Florence - the worst control unit prison - is a "place for prisoners who have committed crimes against other prisoners." One of the interviewee’s is political prisoner Oscar López-Rivera. Special on Pelican Bay by 60 Minutes. Interviews include several prisoners and prison guards about their experiences in Pelican Bay. It also recounts how prisoners sued the state of California for human rights violations and torture.
Lexington Protest Lexington Protest
Call Number: V 575Format: VHSCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
Footage of demonstration outside the Federal Correctional Institution. Posters with photographs of inmates and various statements and speeches. Interview with Attorney Melinda Power. The beginning of the film is B-Roll.
Lexington Protest Lexington Protest
Call Number: V 610Format: VHSCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
Footage of demonstration outside the women's Federal Correctional Institution in Lexington, KY. Posters with photographs of inmates and various statements and speeches. Interview with Attorney Melinda Power. The beginning of the film is B-Roll.
The Case of Silvia Baraldini The Case of Silvia Baraldini
Date: 4/16/1991Call Number: CD 787Format: CDProducers: Sally O'BrianProgram: Where We LiveCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
Silvia Baraldini describes her harsh treatment and that of other U.S. political prisoners. Her attorney, Elizabeth Fink, comments on the lack of evidence presented at trial and the extreme sentencing and punishment of Baraldini at the Lexington Federal Prison. Italian member of Parliament Emma Bonino, and Italian journalist Patricia Lambroso comment on Italian parliamentary and public support for Baraldini.
Terre-Haute Channel 2 NewsCast Report on prison demonstrations May 4, 1996 Terre-Haute Channel 2 NewsCast Report on prison demonstrations May 4, 1996
Date: 5/4/1996Call Number: V 617Format: VHSProducers: WTWD Channel 2 Terre HauteCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
Short news report about demonstrations at Indiana State Prison in Carlisle and the United States Penitentiary in Terre Haute. The protesters were part of a national campaign against the death penalty, control units and the misuse of taxpayer resources. Interview with Sister Kathleen Desautels of 8th Day Center.
Marion and Lexington Control Units Marion and Lexington Control Units
Date: 3/18/1988Call Number: V 639Format: DV CamProgram: 20/20Collection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
Excerpts of three videos on control units in the US. Marion Control Units - a history of control units in the US, focusing mainly on Marion. Black prisoners in the US prisons, prison demographics by race and rate. Lexington Control Unit - Includes interviews with Alejandrina Torres, Susan Rosenberg and Sylvia Baraldrini about the conditions in the control unit and the effects of sensory deprivation. Marion 20/20 - a discussion of the techniques used at USP Marion, including testimonies from prisoners and the warden. Transcript of 20/20 piece available for download.