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

Speeches on Race and Immigration (Part 2) Speeches on Race and Immigration (Part 2)
Call Number: SS 034BFormat: Cass BProducers: Sue SuprianoCollection: Sue Supriano Interviews and Programs
Speeches from a Vietnamese-American, Mayan-Guatemalan, Japanese-American and an El Salvadoran on the racism and immigration experiences in the United States. Same as CD 606
Criminal Injustice Rally Criminal Injustice Rally
Date: 9/21/1996Call Number: PM 292Format: Cass A & BCollection: Political Prisoner Periodicals
Several speakers expose the corrupt and racist stance of the federal and state governments. Speakers criticize politicians for their lack of concern, bills and laws are imposed to further oppress communities. People should organize for prison justice and use their economic power to overthrow this corrupt power structure and end racism.
Interview with Jim Gonzalez Interview with Jim Gonzalez
Date: 10/24/1989Call Number: CV 040AFormat: Cass AProducers: Chuy VarelaProgram: KPFACollection: Chuy Varela Collection
Interview with Jim Gonzalez on issues concerning the Latino community such as the grape boycott, INS raids, immigration rights, affordable housing in San Francisco, sponsorship for Latino community events and police brutality, specifically the beating of Dolores Huerta.
Latino Alcohol Policy and Advocacy Action in California Latino Alcohol Policy and Advocacy Action in California
Date: 7/19/1994Call Number: CV 051Format: Cass A & BCollection: Chuy Varela Collection
Speech by Sylvia Castillo on the importance of being a policymaker, even without a credential. Castillo encourages people to use their history to become effective policymakers as well as teach others in their community to do the same. (First part same as CV 048) Presentation by William Vega from his study on "Perinatal Substance Exposure in California," which examines the drug and alcohol used before delivery by women. Vega explains the results of his research and answers questions.
Save Our State Rally-San Rafael 1/11/94 (anti-immigrant) Save Our State Rally-San Rafael 1/11/94 (anti-immigrant)
Date: 1/11/1994Call Number: CV 329Format: Cass A & BCollection: Chuy Varela Collection
Series of interviews with attendees of an anti-illegal immigration rally. Centered around a ballot initiative seeking to restrict access to education, health care, welfare and other social services to undocumented immigrants. Interviewees asked two questions; is there is any racist/nativist/anti-Hispanic sentiment in the proposition and protesters, and does the denial of social services constitute a human rights violation