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

Anti-racist protest in Boston Anti-racist protest in Boston
Call Number: KP 012BFormat: Cass BProducers: Dave LampellCollection: General materials
Dave Lampell’s program gives live coverage from an antiracist protest in Boston. Speakers include Amiri Baraka and Dick Gregory. Amiri Baraka’s speech discusses State violence, imperialism, capitalism, racism and war. Great quotes for vinyl project. Racism in the Boston area is also discussed. Also live coverage from protest taking over streets and police brutality.
Poetry and Music by Ruben Ruyal & Phil Serrano; Audio from the documentary "Nueva Havana’" neighborhood in Chile Poetry and Music by Ruben Ruyal & Phil Serrano; Audio from the documentary "Nueva Havana’" neighborhood in Chile
Call Number: CD 411Format: CDProducers: Communicacion AztlanProgram: Communicacion AztlanCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
This tape begins with a poem by Ruben Ruyal called ‘Cat in the Mission Nights’ about the conditions in San Francisco’s Mission district and how they connect to the larger US society. Ruben then reads one of his poems about about the conditions and struggles prisoners go through. Both poems are read while Phil Serrano plays guitar in the background. Phil then sings a song he wrote called ‘Graciano’ which is about a young man in college who was killed by police while he was protesting at Wounded Knee. The CD ends with audio from a Chilean film shown that night called ‘Nueva Havana’ about a neighborhood in Chile created by peasants and workers. It includes individual stories and some Chilean political history. Same as CAA 067
Video of Conservative Feminism and Police Abuse Public Access Television Show Footage. Video of Conservative Feminism and Police Abuse Public Access Television Show Footage.
Call Number: V 262Format: VHSProgram: HOMECollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
Begins with a segment from the late 1980s ABC mid-morning talk show Home. In this segment, Dr. Toni Grant discusses supposed intrinsic and immutable difference between men and women and declares that women should be mainly valued for their "Madonna Virtues" and rigid notions of "self respect". At 00:17:15 the video cuts to public access television show on "Police Abuse: Myth or Reality?" Guests include Don Wheeldon, Don Jackson of the NAACP and attorney John C. Burton.
"Move: The Spirit of Resistance" "Move: The Spirit of Resistance"
Call Number: V 263Format: VHSCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
Narrated by Howard Zinn, several interviewees discuss the history of The Move organization created by John Africa and terrorized by the Philadelphia police department.
Prison Corruption Prison Corruption
Date: 11/4/1996Call Number: PM 290Format: Cass A & BProducers: Prison Activist Resource CenterProgram: On The OutsideCollection: Political Prisoner Periodicals
Coverage of prison corruption, treatment of prisoners and an anti-police brutality rally.
State of Emergency - Inside the L.A.P.D State of Emergency - Inside the L.A.P.D
Date: 1/1/1993Call Number: V 334Format: VHSProducers: Julia Meltzer, Elizabeth CannerCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
On police brutality in the LA Police Department following the beating of Rodney King. Footage of police violence, also depicts communities working against the daily occupation of their neighborhoods.
Shield For Abuse and Born to Hate Shield For Abuse and Born to Hate
Date: 8/7/1990Call Number: V 352Format: VHSProducers: KQED Current AffairsProgram: KQEDCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
Shield for Abuse - an expose on how brutal cops are rarely reprimanded or disciplined for their behavior and the millions San Francisco has paid to settle brutality cases. Born to Hate - the story of Greg Withrow, a former Neo-Nazi youth leader who has renounced his life as a white supremacist.
Black Panther Party: Sacramento Black Panther Party: Sacramento
Call Number: CE 078Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Colin EdwardsCollection: Colin Edwards Collection
Excerpts of early Black Panther Party actuality including Bobby Seale and Huey Newton, speaking days after taking of guns to Sacramento CA (as legislature plans gun laws) to expose attacks on Black community and raise right of self-defense. Extensive comments by Seale and Newton, who summarizes racist history, Reconstruction betrayal, raises issue of political power.
October 22 Coalition - Part 1 October 22 Coalition - Part 1
Date: 10/22/2000Call Number: PM 373Format: DATCollection: Political Prisoner Periodicals
Rally against police brutality, demonstrators wear black, with chants and speeches.
October 22 Coalition - Part 2 October 22 Coalition - Part 2
Date: 10/22/2000Call Number: PM 374Format: DATCollection: Political Prisoner Periodicals
Rally against police brutality, demonstrators wear black, with chants and speeches.