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

Interview with Herman Bell Interview with Herman Bell
Date: 8/31/1977Call Number: CD 541Format: CDCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
Interviews with Herman Bell on August 31, 1977 at USP Marion. He speaks mainly about prison conditions, control units, behavior modification, the injustice of the prison system.
The Case of Silvia Baraldini The Case of Silvia Baraldini
Date: 4/16/1991Call Number: PM 267Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Sally O'BrianProgram: Where We LiveCollection: Silvia Baraldini
Silvia Baraldini describes her harsh treatment and that of other U.S. political prisoners. Her attorney, Elizabeth Fink, comments on the lack of evidence presented at trial and the extreme sentencing and punishment of Baraldini at the Lexington Federal Prison. Italian member of Parliament Emma Bonino, and Italian journalist Patricia Lambroso comment on Italian parliamentary and public support for Baraldini.
Racism and the War on Drugs Racism and the War on Drugs
Date: 1/1/1996Call Number: PM 325Format: Cass A & BCollection: Political Prisoner Periodicals
In a panel discussion, several speakers express their views about how racism and the war on drugs are connected. Racism is found in every step of the criminal justice law enforcement process. Blacks and Hispanics are unfairly targeted in the war on drugs. The speakers advocate that federal law enforcement change, and that mandatory minimums, crack laws, and guideline sentences be revised.
Judge Bruce Wright on racism Judge Bruce Wright on racism
Date: 11/4/1989Call Number: PM 428Format: Cass A & BProducers: Konnections, Commitee to End the Marion LockdownCollection: Committee to End the Marion Lockdown
Introduction by Nancy Kurshan and preliminary comments by Jose Lopez. Lecture by Bruce Wright, judge, scholar, poet and activist for social justice. Using his own experience as a Black man, he describes the history of US racism and the criminal justice system. Transcript available for download: http://freedomarchives.org/Documents/Finder/DOC3_scans/3.wright.speech.bangs.whispers.1989.pdf
Judge Bruce Wright on racism Judge Bruce Wright on racism
Date: 11/4/1989Call Number: CD 818Format: CDProducers: Konnections, Committee to End the Marion LockdownCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
Lecture by Bruce Wright, judge, scholar, poet and activist for social justice. Using his own experience as a Black man, he describes the history of US racism and the criminal justice system. Transcript available for download: http://freedomarchives.org/Documents/Finder/DOC3_scans/3.wright.speech.bangs.whispers.1989.pdf
Marion Program Panel 1 Marion Program Panel 1
Date: 10/1/1988Call Number: CD 821Format: CDProducers: Committee to End the Marion LockdownCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
Introduction by Nancy Kurshan and preliminary comments by Jose Lopez. Lecture by Bruce Wright, judge, scholar, poet and activist for social justice. Using his own experience as a Black man, he describes the history of US racism and the criminal justice system. Program on the life and work of Assata Shakur, and her influence on the work and life of fellow activists. Also speakers on the Puerto Rican liberation movement.