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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.
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

Alternative House interview Alternative House interview
Date: 9/14/1971Call Number: PM 125Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsCollection: Political Prisoner Periodicals
Great analysis of guards playing off of racial divisions among inmates. Guards broke up San Quentin strike after George’s death by targeting white prisoners in adjustment center playing them against black revolutionary prisoners. Retaliation for Davis’ death - using racial conflicts to the advantage of the administration to destroy the unity of the prisoners. Strong leaders on the inside were targeted and shipped out of prisons. Racism exists in San Quentin, but prisoners understand how guards use racism to keep them divided and less strong. Function of penitentiary rests upon individual inmate acknowledging the authority of prison administration. California prisons run so well and can keep expanding because of racism. Systematic brainwashing of these inmates, enslaving their minds and bodies.
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.
Kwame Ture on the history of black student revolutionary organizations Kwame Ture on the history of black student revolutionary organizations
Date: 3/22/1994Call Number: AFR 051Format: Cass A & BProgram: Student Organizing from 1960 to 1994Collection: Kwame Ture
Kwame Ture speaks about the history of black student revolutionary protest organizations such as SNCC (Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee) and the BPP (Black Panther Party). He talks about the oppression of the capitalist system in disorganizing black organizations. He explains how Africans are used to having a hard life and constantly struggling for freedom. Struggle makes you stronger, and brings progress. Ture calls people to push black consciousness and to talk about both the oppressed and the oppressor, so as to avoid blaming the oppressed in the end. He also talks about how it is the capitalist system’s job to instill ideas of inferiority in African Americans, but he calls people to fight inferiority, and to increase their consciousness of African contributions to America. Ture talks about how Africa was the first continent to unite different countries under the OAU (Organization of African Unity). Lastly, he speaks about African’s high level of unity in action, but not in thought, because of the prevalence of ignorance of the value of organizing.
Kwame Ture on the knowledge of ones African culture as liberation. Kwame Ture on the knowledge of ones African culture as liberation.
Date: 3/22/1994Call Number: AFR 052Format: Cass A & BProgram: Student Organizing from 1960 to 1994Collection: Kwame Ture
Continuation of AFR 051 Kwame Ture speaks about racism as a question of power, and knowledge of culture as the liberation. He talks about how African culture is tolerant on many issues, but European culture is not. He states that you must first have an understanding of your own culture to have unity of thought. If you do not know your own culture, you take the culture of oppression.
Discussion on the effects of global white supremacy on Africans Discussion on the effects of global white supremacy on Africans
Date: 10/23/1991Call Number: AFR 053Format: Cass A & BProducers: UAM: United African MovementProgram: Global White Supremacy, Part 1Collection: Africa- General Resources
Recorded off mic. Discussion on the effects of global white supremacy on Africans historically, legally, and psychologically. The audio begins with Imhotep Gary Byrd leading the audience in a song. John Henrik Clarke speaks how black people are the chosen people of God, and how historically, the Jews have benefited from the slave trade. He also talks about Louis Farrakhan, minister of the nation of Islam, and his contributions to the black man. He also gives a historical perspective on global white supremacy, saying that blacks do not understand white supremacy because they don’t understand white people. He asserts that whites feel superior because they aren’t rich in culture and family life like blacks are, and they want that without paying for it. Clarke calls people to read more and to become educated. He speaks about Egypt not being white because it is deep within Africa, so they cannot claim superiority over other Africans. He also speaks about the bastardization of Africans, physically through skin color, and mentally through the desire to be white. He claims there is no reason for white colonization except the whites desire for resources and to take over another people. He says that the only way to overcome global white supremacy would be for all Africans to unite. Audio tape includes a rap song about race relations between minorities (blacks) and whites. No Justice, No Peace.
Why was Malcolm X killed? (Part 3 of 3) Why was Malcolm X killed? (Part 3 of 3)
Date: 2/19/1995Call Number: KP 122Format: CassetteProducers: KPFACollection: Malcolm X
A few days before the 30th anniversary of Malcolm X’s murder the Nation of Islam organized a question and answer program so that members of the community could ask intellectuals and leaders from the Nation of Islam about Malcolm X and what the future of Blacks in America will be. This is the third tape in a series of three. It cuts in towards the end of the discussion. The questions asked deal with the relationship between Malcolm X and the Nation of Islam, as well as the controversy surrounding his shooting. Another question also addresses who are the new leaders of the Black people and can there be a powerful, centralized movement and what direction is it coming from?
Discussion on the effects of global white supremacy on Africans Discussion on the effects of global white supremacy on Africans
Date: 10/23/1991Call Number: AFR 054Format: Cass A & BProducers: UAM: United African MovementProgram: Global White Supremacy, Part 2Collection: Africa- General Resources
Recorded off mic. Discussion on the effects of global white supremacy on Africans historically, legally, and psychologically. The audio begins with Imhotep Gary Byrd leading the audience in a song. John Henrik Clarke speaks how black people are the chosen people of God, and how historically, the Jews have benefited from the slave trade. He also talks about Louis Farrakhan, minister of the nation of Islam, and his contributions to the black man. He also gives a historical perspective on global white supremacy, saying that blacks do not understand white supremacy because they don’t understand white people. He asserts that whites feel superior because they aren’t rich in culture and family life like blacks are, and they want that without paying for it. Clarke calls people to read more and to become educated. He speaks about Egypt not being white because it is deep within Africa, so they cannot claim superiority over other Africans. He also speaks about the bastardization of Africans, physically through skin color, and mentally through the desire to be white. He claims there is no reason for white colonization except the whites desire for resources and to take over another people. He says that the only way to overcome global white supremacy would be for all Africans to unite. Audio tape includes a rap song about race relations between minorities (blacks) and whites. No Justice, No Peace.
FIAS: African Liberation Day 1977 FIAS: African Liberation Day 1977
Date: 5/21/1977Call Number: FI 290Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProgram: Freedom is a Constant StruggleCollection: Freedom is a Constant Struggle
Freedom is a Constant Struggle celebrates African Liberation day by dedicating the show to liberation struggles in Southern Africa and solidarity demonstrations in Oakland. The show also celebrates the birthdays of both Malcolm X and Ho Chi Minh by playing Malcolm X speeches on black nationalism, American hypocrisy and terrorism, and illuminating Ho Chi Minh's experiences with the American narrative of lynching post emancipation. As a whole this episode of Freedom is a Constant Struggle encapsulates the 1960/1970 histories of Pan- Africanism, unity, celebration, and continued resistance towards self determination.