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

Group Challenges Prison on "Toxic" Drinking Water Supply; Protest set Today at Prison; Protestors Express Concerns Over Water Supply at Federal Prison; Advertisement for 5/4/1990 and 5/5/1990 toxic water protests at Marion Group Challenges Prison on "Toxic" Drinking Water Supply; Protest set Today at Prison; Protestors Express Concerns Over Water Supply at Federal Prison; Advertisement for 5/4/1990 and 5/5/1990 toxic water protests at Marion
Authors: Rob Wick, Larry DavisPublisher: Marion Daily Republican; Southern Illinoisan; Daily EgyptianYear: 1990Format: ArticleCollection: Committee to End the Marion Lockdown
Reproduction of media clippings surrounding toxic water campaign. Part of packet - see 3.correspondence.ceml.quinlan.1990
Pax Christi iL Pax Christi iL
Publisher: Pax Christi iLYear: 1990Volume Number: FallFormat: PeriodicalCollection: Committee to End the Marion Lockdown
Includes article by John L. Clark, Warden at Marion. Also included is handwritten note from Donna Eagil to Steve Whitman stapled to p. 7.
Media Release Media Release
Publisher: Committee to End the Marion LockdownYear: 1990Format: Press ReleaseCollection: Committee to End the Marion Lockdown
Media release regarding press conference and toxic water protest on 8/9/1990 at Chicago Post Office.
Marion Warden tries to douse Water Concerns; Update on CEML Water Campaign Marion Warden tries to douse Water Concerns; Update on CEML Water Campaign
Author: Phil BrinkmanPublisher: Southern Illinoisian; Committee to End the Marion LockdownYear: 1990Format: ArticleCollection: Committee to End the Marion Lockdown
Reproduction of article on Marion toxic water issue with CEML letter typed on back.
Bureau of Prisons: Provide Bottled water to Prisoners at Marion Now! Bureau of Prisons: Provide Bottled water to Prisoners at Marion Now!
Publisher: Committee to End the Marion LockdownYear: 1990Collection: Committee to End the Marion Lockdown
Sticker - Demands clean bottled water for inmates at USP Marion, IL. 8/9/1990
Report on Visit to the Marion Federal Penitentiary Report on Visit to the Marion Federal Penitentiary
Publisher: Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Administration of JusticeYear: 1990Format: ReportCollection: Committee to End the Marion Lockdown
6/19/1990 The Mission of the Marion Penitentiary; The Marion "Lock Down" Policy; Assessment of "Lock Down" Policy; Concerns Expressed Marion Prison Inmates; Special High-Profile Inmates at Marion; The Marion Water Supply; Conclusion.
No Toxic water Diets! End the Marion Lockdown! No Toxic water Diets! End the Marion Lockdown!
Publisher: Committee to End the Marion LockdownYear: 1990Format: MonographCollection: Committee to End the Marion Lockdown
Details of toxic water protests. Includes excerpts from a prisoner's letter and photographs of demonstrations.
Twelve Month Plan for Work Around Marion Twelve Month Plan for Work Around Marion
Authors: Nancy Kurshan, Steve WhitmanPublisher: Committee to End the Marion LockdownYear: 1990Format: AgendaCollection: Committee to End the Marion Lockdown
1/10/1990 Strategic plan by quarter
Suggested Timetable for the Spring Offensive Around the Water at Marion Suggested Timetable for the Spring Offensive Around the Water at Marion
Publisher: Committee to End the Marion LockdownYear: 1990Format: AgendaCollection: Committee to End the Marion Lockdown
Task list and relevant dates
Free Puerto Rico! Free Puerto Rico!
Publisher: Free Puerto Rico Committee, North Americans in Solidarity with Puerto Rican IndependenceYear: 1990Volume Number: January-FebruaryFormat: PeriodicalCollection: New Movement