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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.
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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

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.
Samouri Marksman on African and Caribbean People Samouri Marksman on African and Caribbean People
Date: 1/16/1985Call Number: AFR 012Format: Cass A & BProgram: African Activists in AmericaCollection: Africa- General Resources
Michael Warren, chairman of African Activists in America, speaks about Maurice Bishop, and introduces Samouri Marksman. Marksman speaks about struggles of African people around the world; how Europeans control Latin American economies, cultures, and societies, and the struggle for Latin American independence; the struggle to alter the slave relationship with Europeans in the Caribbean and Africa; criticizes the IMF (International Monetary Fund) ; and American politics in South Africa and the struggle against Apartheid.
Interview of Mike Tissong, a white newspaper reporter for a South African white newspaper, about his views on news censorship and the political and social situation in South Africa Interview of Mike Tissong, a white newspaper reporter for a South African white newspaper, about his views on news censorship and the political and social situation in South Africa
Call Number: AFR 027Format: Cass A & BCollection: South Africa
Mike Tissong, a white newspaper reporter for a South African Anglo newspaper, is interviewed about his views on news censorship. He speaks about the types of views presented in the news depending on the type of newspaper (liberal, conservative, white, or black),and about the government censorship of black liberation prevalent in South Africa. Tissong also speaks on the dangers of being a white reporter in black townships because that is where the struggle is being waged. He mentions the horrible practice of prison detention of children, and laments the lack of those calling for sanctions (besides prominent people like Desmond Tutu). He comments on the current situation of oppressed people supporting the struggle against Apartheid through armed struggle. He mentions Robert Mugabe’s liberation strategy of a “bullet for a bullet” by killing whites. Tissong speaks about black on black violence in South Africa, pointing out two levels: one of the right wing (IFP - Inkatha Freedom Party), the other from cultural movements in Natal. On political and social movements and organizations, he talks about the Black Consciousness Movement and its call for a stop to violence, and the UDF’s (United Democratic Front) call for violence in the struggle. Lastly, he speaks on the west’s (United States) view of Southern Africa, as they treat it like a game. The west only supports groups like AZAPO (Azanian People’s Organization), but ignores ZANU (Zimbabwe African National Union), and only recognizes the ANC (African National Congress), not other South African liberation organizations.
Pan African Congress representative speaks on how the people of South Africa are organized and ready to fight white rule.  Pan African Congress representative speaks on how the people of South Africa are organized and ready to fight white rule.
Call Number: AFR 031AFormat: Cass ACollection: South Africa
A speech by a PAC (Pan African Congress) representative on how the people of South Africa are organized and ready for the fight against the white imperialists. He also praises the solidarity of the people of Azania and the United States. The speech ends with the chant “Up with Azania, down with South Africa” and the singing of the South Africa National Anthem, Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrica.
Conference on liberation and reconstruction struggles in Southern Africa Conference on liberation and reconstruction struggles in Southern Africa
Call Number: AFR 035Format: Cass A & BCollection: African liberation movements
Continuation of AFR 034 See enclosed note in AFR 035 Conference on liberation and reconstruction struggles in Africa, particularly in Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Namibia. A representative of SWAPO (South West African People’s Organization) speaks about the international community being in solidarity with Southern African countries, and asks for support for SWAPO’s continued struggle for liberation in Namibia. A member of the Zimbabwe admission to the United Nations speaks about the bonds formed between liberation fighters in Africa and internationally. He speaks about the leaders of ZANU (Zimbabwe African National Union), the ANC (African National Congress), and the PAC (Pan African Congress). He speaks on the history of the struggles for independence and human rights in Southern Africa, and the contued struggle for liberation. Sylvia Baraldini of the May 19th Communist Organization speaks on the National Campaign in solidarity with the ZANU Women’s League. She talks about the lessons of the struggle for liberation in Zimbabwe and looks at the process of reconstruction. A permanent representative of the PAC of Azania to the United Nations speaks about South Africa. He comments on South African president P.W. Botha’s refusal to erode Apartheid through economic means. He talks about a socialist solution incorporating equal distribution of wealth and power, and calls people to work together to fight oppression.
Interview of AZAPO Representative about the struggle against Apartheid in South Africa. Interview of AZAPO Representative about the struggle against Apartheid in South Africa.
Call Number: AFR 063AFormat: Cass ACollection: South Africa
Recorded off mic, poor recording Interview of a representative of AZAPO (Azanian People’s Organization) about AZAPO in South Africa. He speaks about how the racist Apartheid regime attempts to set up “independence” within the urban townships, or “homelands”, but how the homelands were rejected by the people of South Africa. He speaks about the oppression of blacks and how they have joined forces with coloreds and Indians to fight Apartheid, and describes the legal restrictions placed on black Africans.
Imperialist oppression in Southern African countries Imperialist oppression in Southern African countries
Date: 1/15/1982Call Number: AFR 066Format: Cass A & BCollection: African liberation movements
Judy Jensen of the Material Aid Campaign for ZANU makes a speech about Southern Africa. She speaks about ZANU’s defeat of white settler colonialism in Zimbabwe and also women’s contributions to the struggle. She discusses the different fronts in the war for the liberation of Southern Africa, and the struggle against the US’s attack on their independence. She talks about struggles in Namibia, South Africa’s control over Southern African countries, and calls for solidarity with Southern African countries. Lastly, she draws comparisons and similarities between the oppression of blacks in America and Africa. Next, Serge Mukendi, US Representative of the Workers and Peasants Movement of the Congo (MOP), speaks about weaknesses in natural and human resources in Africa because they are not in the hands of the Africans. He speaks about the struggles in Congo and tells the audience that it is our duty to strengthen the fight for liberation in Congo through support and solidarity. On Side B, Eve Rosahn, political activist, Students Against Government Misconduct, speaks about political activists for black liberation who have been tortured and beaten for their actions. Next, a member of the Anti-Springbok 5 chants “Up With Azania, Down With South Africa!”, and speaks about her experiences as an ASB-5, and tells the audience about the Springbok 5 and what they represent. The Springboks are an elite white supremacist South African rugby team traveling the US, representing the spread of white imperialism. Lastly, PAC (Pan African Congress) representative Jackie Mazibuko, speaks about white alliances between Ian Smith of Zimbabwe, the South African government, and the US in their oppression of black Africans. She also speaks about the land issues in Africa, and that all land originally, and still should, belong to black Africans, and that people must have the ideology of revolution to struggle against oppression.
Elizabeth Sibeko of the Pan African Congress Elizabeth Sibeko of the Pan African Congress
Call Number: AFR 067Format: Cass A & BCollection: South Africa
Elizabeth Sibeko of the PAC (Pan African Congress) in South Africa speaks about the PAC delegation to a women’s conference in Nairobi, Kenya. She speaks about the Portuguese, French, and American involvement in South African affairs and oppression, and speaks about how the solidarity that has been shown the people of South Africa is helping to liberate the African people. On Side B, she continues to speak about children’s and student’s roles in the struggle against Apartheid and oppression. She says that they have the advantage of large population, organization, and direction.
Pan African Congress on conditions in South Africa Pan African Congress on conditions in South Africa
Date: 11/20/1984Call Number: AFR 068Format: Cass A & BCollection: South Africa
PAC (Pan African Congress) deputy president Johnson Mlambo speaks about the PAC’s role in the struggle for liberation in South Africa. He talks about black African’s struggle for land, and fighting against imprisonment of activists. He also speaks about the conditions of South African jails. N. Pokela, chairman of the PAC, speaks about the solidarity and determination needed among all Africans and South Africans to fight against Apartheid. Side B is a question and answer period.
Conditions in Zimbabwe and political consciousness America Conditions in Zimbabwe and political consciousness America
Call Number: AFR 077Collection: Zimbabwe
Judy Jensen,of the Material Aid Campaign for ZANU (Zimbabwe African National Union) is interviewed about raising support in America for revolutionary struggles in Africa. A passionate anti-imperialist, she speaks about the wrongs being done to Africans, particularly those in Southern Africa. She aims to educate Americans on the revolutionary struggles in Africa, and to teach them about anti-Apartheid goals. She details the measures and protests the Material Aid Campaign for ZANU will use to achieve their objectives. She speaks about war in Central America, and about American political consciousness, saying that people are slowly realizing the American government’s aggressive and imperialist nature. Side B contains an interview between two women. They discuss the problems facing Zimbabwe, such as land issues and dwindling resources. Next, the provincial secretary for the ZANU Women’s League, Eastern Province, is interviewed about the organization’s work for the Zimbabwean elections and their work in the provinces. Lastly, several women speak about problems getting material and supplies in Zimbabwe, expressing their thoughts on the newly independent Zimbabwe, and their hope for more equality between men and women.