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

Bernardine Dorhn Bernardine Dorhn
Publisher: Weather Underground OrganizationFormat: mp3Collection: Weather Underground Organization
Sent on international Women's Day, 1975 by the Weather Underground, this includes a statement by Bernardine Dohrn and a poem to Assata Shakur by Kathy Boudin, who is herself now a political prisoner. the audio quality reflects the less than ideal recording conditions, but the message comes through.
Cesar Chavez speech Cesar Chavez speech
Call Number: KP 041Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Emiliano EcheverriaProgram: KPFA general/La RazaCollection: Latin@
Speech by Cesar Chavez in Richmond, California in support of grape farm workers and the Gallo boycott. Note: Excerpt used on Roots of Resistance, volume 1.
Ossie Davis Recites Frederick Douglas Ossie Davis Recites Frederick Douglas
Format: mp3Producers: Claude Marks, Mark Schwartz, Lincoln BergmanProgram: Real Dragon, assorted insertsCollection: Black Liberation
A sample of Ossie Davis reciting Frederick Douglass' “West India Emancipation Speech" originally delivered on August 3, 1857. Davis' narration was delivered at an event for the San Quintin 6 on March 3, 2000.
Black Panther Party Chairman Fred Hampton Speaks at University of Chicago Black Panther Party Chairman Fred Hampton Speaks at University of Chicago
Collection: Fred Hampton Jr.
Taken from speech at University of Chicago, March 1969. Fred Hampton about the U.S. prison system and the fight for equal rights among people of color
George Jackson Intro George Jackson Intro
Publisher: Freedom ArchivesFormat: mp3Collection: George Jackson
George Jackson and his mother Georgia Jackson, with a Bay Area newscast on the assassination of George Jackson, prison revolutionary and author. Jackson was killed on August 21, 1971 at San Quintin, a year after his younger brother Johnathan Jackson was killed during the Marin County Courthouse Rebellion.
Maya Angelou reads "Harriet Tubman" Maya Angelou reads "Harriet Tubman"
Publisher: Freedom ArchivesCollection: Black Liberation
Excerpt of Maya Angelou reading "Harriet Tubman" by Margaret Walker at at 1972 benefit for Angela Davis.
Ho Chi Minh Ho Chi Minh
Publisher: Nancy Barrett, Lincoln BergmanFormat: mp3Program: Nothing Is More Precious ThanCollection: Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh, Vietnamese President, in rare recording, speaks in English to express gratitude to people in the United States who oppose the war.
Vietnam: Ho Chi Minh Speaks - Captured US Military Vietnam: Ho Chi Minh Speaks - Captured US Military
Call Number: CD 390Format: CDCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
Track 1 - Ho Chi Minh adresses the anti-war movements of various countries in Vietnamese, Chinese, French, English track 2 - US POWs speaking from captivity in Vietnam. Recorded by the National Liberation Front of Vietnam. Same as KP 169
Nelson Mandela Released Nelson Mandela Released
Call Number: V 365Format: VHSProgram: CBS News Sunday Morning, PBS The Macneil Lehere News HourCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
CBS news coverage of Nelson Mandela's release from Victor Verster Prison in South Africa and interviews of supporters. Brief material with Pete Seeger singing about freedom. German Reunification.
20th Anniversary of the Takeover of Alcatraz 20th Anniversary of the Takeover of Alcatraz
Call Number: CD 597Format: CDProducers: Chuy VarelaCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
This is a recording from the 20th Anniversary of the Native American takeover of Alcatraz. Chuy Varela interviews various people at this event on their perspectives of this non-traditional Thanksgiving event and the continued Native American struggle. Also includes Native American prayers, chants and flute music.