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

CEML Program (10-21-1995) Keynote Address CEML Program (10-21-1995) Keynote Address
Date: 10/21/1995Call Number: V 620Format: VHSProducers: CEMLCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
MC Nancy Kurshan, speakers Dr. Alan Berkman, Nozomi Ikuta, and Jose Lopez. Topics discussed include proliferation of the criminal justice system and control units, control units and social control, physical and psychological conditions in control units, and prisons as reflections of America as a colonial power and its historical roots in racism and white power. There is also a taped video statement by Sanyika Shakur and his 60 minutes interview is shown. Transcript available for download.
Mass Incarceration and Control Units in Prisons: Mind Control or Social Control? Mass Incarceration and Control Units in Prisons: Mind Control or Social Control?
Date: 10/21/1995Call Number: PM 419Format: Cass A & BProducers: Committee to End the Marion LockdownCollection: Committee to End the Marion Lockdown
A program sponsored by the Committee to End the Marion Lockdown (CEML), an organization dedicated to closing the control units at Marion Prison. Nancy Kurshan of CEML introduces Jose Lopez, Executive Director of the Puerto Rican Cultural Center, member of the Movimiento de Liberacion Nacional, and brother of political prisoner Oscar Lopez Rivera. He discusses the connections between American colonialism/imperialism and the extensive use of prisons in the US. This tape is a better copy of PM 336 and PM 345 A. Transcript available for download.
Mass Incarceration and Control Units in Prisons: Mind Control or Social Control? Mass Incarceration and Control Units in Prisons: Mind Control or Social Control?
Date: 10/21/1995Call Number: CD 810Format: CDProducers: Committee to End the Marion LockdownCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
A program sponsored by the Committee to End the Marion Lockdown (CEML), an organization dedicated to closing the control units at Marion Prison. Nancy Kurshan of CEML introduces Jose Lopez, Executive Director of the Puerto Rican Cultural Center, member of the Movimiento de Liberacion Nacional, and brother of political prisoner Oscar Lopez Rivera. He discusses the connections between American colonialism/imperialism and the extensive use of prisons in the US. This tape is a better copy of PM 336/345 Transcript available for download.
Mass Incarceration and Control Units in Prisons: Mind Control or Social Control? CEML #2 Mass Incarceration and Control Units in Prisons: Mind Control or Social Control? CEML #2
Date: 10/21/1995Call Number: CD 801Format: CDProducers: Committee to End the Marion LockdownCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
A program sponsored by the Committee to End the Marion Lockdown (CEML), an organization dedicated to closing the control units at Marion Prison. Nancy Kurshan of CEML introduces Jose Lopez, Executive Director of the Puerto Rican Cultural Center, member of the Movimiento de Liberacion Nacional, and brother of political prisoner Oscar Lopez Rivera. He discusses the connections between American colonialism/imperialism and the extensive use of prisons in the US. This tape is a continuation of PM 336. Transcript available for download.
CEML Program (10-21-1995) Keynote Address CEML Program (10-21-1995) Keynote Address
Date: 10/21/1995Call Number: V 642Format: DV CamProducers: CEMLCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
Excerpts from Keynote address: MC Nancy Kurshan, speakers Dr. Alan Berkman, Nozomi Ikuta, and Jose Lopez. Topics discussed include proliferation of the criminal justice system and control units, control units and social control, physical and psychological conditions in control units, and prisons as reflections of America as a colonial power and its historical roots in racism and white power. There is also a taped video statement by Sanyika Shakur and his 60 minutes interview is shown. Transcript available for download.
Breakthrough Breakthrough
Publisher: Prarie Fire Organizing CommitteeYear: 1995Volume Number: Vol. 19-1 SummerFormat: PeriodicalCollection: Breakthrough
Editorial: Contract with a Vengeance p. 1 - Reading, Writing, and Rebellion: Reflections on Education in the 90s p. 2 - "Ours is the First History: Raza Youth Speak Out," edited by Robert Roth and Annie Johnston p. 4 - Clemente! Chicago's Puerto Rican Community Takes Back its High School, Douglas Spalding p. 14 - Berkeley High: the "School Colors" Debate, Hodari Davis, Annie Johnston and Regina Segura p. 19 - Schoolgirls: Gender and Self-esteem, interview with Peggy Orenstein by Sallly Thomas and Judith Mirkinson p. 25 - Talking Queer in Kindergarten: Stopping Homophobia Before it Starts, Camomile deQuelquechose p. 31 - Minds at Work: Journeys in the South Bronx, photos by Ruth Morgan, poetry by South Bronx students p. 36 - East Timor: an Island Prison, Pam Sexton p. 41 - The Waste Makers: studies by and for the Environmental Justice Movement review by Mickey Ellinger p. 47 - Throwing Away the Key: Crime and Punishment U.S.A., Charles King p. 50 - Write Through the Walls p. 56
The Black Cat Collective Presents Black August The Black Cat Collective Presents Black August
Publisher: Black Cat CollectiveYear: 1995Format: TranscriptCollection: George Jackson
Transcript of speech given at event. Reproduction of flyer and graphic attached.
From Attica to Abu Ghraib: Reflections by Political Prisoners in the U.S. From Attica to Abu Ghraib: Reflections by Political Prisoners in the U.S.
Publisher: Jericho Amnesty MovementYear: 1995Volume Number: April-MayFormat: MonographCollection: Political Prisoners- General Info