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

Jalil Muntaqim interview (3 of 4) Jalil Muntaqim interview (3 of 4)
Call Number: V 080Format: VHSProducers: John O’ReillyCollection: Jalil Muntaqim
Middle of his story from end of tape 2 about creating a national movement around freeing political prisoners. Met a white guy named Commie Mike who told him about the UPU, United Prisoners Union, formerly run by Popeye Jackson, who was just killed at the time. Contacts Sundiata Acoli about representing the E. Coast. Tremendous response from prisoners throughout the country (political and non) about UN appeal for clemency for political prisoners//prisoners of war. UPU was overwhelmed and so Prairie Fire Organizing Committee produced a pamphlet and brought attorney Katherine Burke from Amnesty International onto the case. Jalil taught her about domestic revolutionary struggle and she taught him about international law. Two different dynamics on the W. and E. Coast. W. Coast was progressive/revolutionary white folks and E. Coast was black folks in the Black Panther Party/RNA/APP and other revolutionary nationalists. Katherine went to Geneva and there was a huge international response given that the US always uses human rights against each other, but never discusses their own domestic HR abuses. So that racial tension caused a lot of sectarianism/factionalism thus an overall lull in the movement. Jalil has always written about political prisoners. Talks about Andrew Young, a US ambassador to the UN who was fired for acknowledging that the US has political prisoners - probably thousands - during a visit to Paris, France. Jalil has tried to get a prisoner exchange between US and Cuba - trade political prisoners for some Cuban held US CIA operatives. Discusses how although COINTELPRO was found illegal, there was no remedy/redress for victims. Believes that Jericho needs to push COINTELPRO.
Presente Presente
Call Number: CD 077Format: CDCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
A series of statements, poems, spoken word and music about various prisoners, political prisoners and prisoners of war. Two of Marilyn Buck’s poems, “After the Wave” and “Blues for Shaka”, tracks 16 and 17, were set to music on this CD. These two cuts were also used on the Freedom Archives CD Wild Poppies.
Activism inside and outside of prison Activism inside and outside of prison
Date: 2/7/1992Call Number: PM 183Format: Cass A & BProducers: The Prison Radio ProjectProgram: You can’t jail the spiritCollection: Political Prisoner Periodicals
Last part of a 13 series program on prisons in the United States. The series explores the lives and experiences of political prisoners, POWs, and incarcerated activists. Prisons today, it argues, are the government’s response to societal problems such as unemployment, poverty, homelessness, and immigration. In this tape in particular Jude Tilman talks to different activists: Thelma Clark, Judy Greenspan, Muhjah Shakir, and Michael Snedecker.
Puerto Rican Freedom Fighters Puerto Rican Freedom Fighters
Call Number: PM 193AFormat: Cass ACollection: Puerto Rico
Interviews with Dylcia Pagan, Judith Mirkinson, Eduardo Colon with Michael Deutsch, and Josephina Rodriguez.
En contacto directo / Art From Behind Prison Walls En contacto directo / Art From Behind Prison Walls
Call Number: LA 032AFormat: Cass AProducers: Sylvia Mulaly AguuirreProgram: El Contacto DirectoCollection: Struggles in Latin America
Spanish and English interview with Gloria Alonzo, National Committee to Free the Puerto Rican Political Prisoners, Bill Crossman, Friends of Elizam Escobar, and Enrique Chagoya, director Galeria de la Raza, on exhibit of art by Puerto Rican political prisoners. Continues 10 minutes on Side B.
The New York 3 The New York 3
Date: 1/1/1989Call Number: V 102Format: VHSCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
Explains the case of the New York 3, jalil Muntaqim, Nuh Washington and Herman Bell in the context of the history of the Black Panther Party, the Black Liberation Army, FBIs Cointelpro program designed to destroy the Black liberation movement. Aside from the prisoners’ voices are interviews with Safiya Bukhari, of the Jericho Amnesty Movement and a former Black Panther and Black Liberation Army member (as well as a former political prisoner and prisoner of war) and attorney Brian Glick, talking about Cointelpro and the FBI.
Presente! Presente!
Call Number: CD 181Format: CDProducers: Witch Doctor RecordingCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
PRESENTE! is a poetry and theatre collective that for the past three years has been conducting artistic performances calling attention to the plight of Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War held within the borders of the United States. Many of these prisoners have been incarcerated for waging struggle against the U.S. Government's colonialist and racist policies here and abroad. The CD is a tribute to political prisoners in the u.s. and includes many of their voices
Puerto Rican Freedom Fighters Puerto Rican Freedom Fighters
Call Number: CD 798Format: CDCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
Interviews with Dylcia Pagan, Judith Mirkinson, Eduardo Colon with Michael Deutsch, and Josephina Rodriguez.
Statement of the 10 Puerto Rican Prisoners of War Statement of the 10 Puerto Rican Prisoners of War
Publisher: The 10 Puerto Rican Prisoners of WarYear: 1981Format: MonographCollection: Fuerzas Armadas de Liberacion Nacional (FALN)
Statement of concern for the disappearance of Alfredo Mendez.
Hunger Strike Halted statement by the 10 P.O.W. Hunger Strike Halted statement by the 10 P.O.W.
Publisher: FALN Ten Puerto Rican Prisoners of WarYear: 1981Collection: Fuerzas Armadas de Liberacion Nacional (FALN)
Statement of the FALN regarding ending of 10 day hunger strike in protest of denying Alfredo Mendez Habeas Corpus.