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

Herman Bell Interview Herman Bell Interview
Date: 3/21/1988Call Number: V 042Format: SVHSCollection: Herman Bell
Herman Bell Interviewed in 1988 for the making of a video on the ‘New York 3’ and their legal case. The New York 3 includes Jalil Muntaqim, Herman Bell and Nuh Washington. Part 2 of the raw interview in prison.
Herman Bell & Jalil Muntaqim Interview Herman Bell & Jalil Muntaqim Interview
Date: 3/1/1988Call Number: V 043Format: VHSCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
Herman Bell & Jalil Muntaqim Interviewed in 1988 for the making of a video on the ‘New York 3’ and their legal case. The New York 3 includes Jalil Muntaqim, Herman Bell and Nuh Washington. EPS VHS of the raw interview in prison.
Paul Robeson: Here I Stand Paul Robeson: Here I Stand
Date: 1/1/1999Call Number: V 101Format: VHSProducers: WNETProgram: American MastersCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
The life and achievements of Paul Robeson - athlete, singer and scholar. Robeson is also the champion of human rights, Black people and the disenfranchised.
The New York 3 The New York 3
Date: 1/1/1989Call Number: V 102Format: VHSCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
Explains the case of the New York 3, jalil Muntaqim, Nuh Washington and Herman Bell in the context of the history of the Black Panther Party, the Black Liberation Army, FBIs Cointelpro program designed to destroy the Black liberation movement. Aside from the prisoners’ voices are interviews with Safiya Bukhari, of the Jericho Amnesty Movement and a former Black Panther and Black Liberation Army member (as well as a former political prisoner and prisoner of war) and attorney Brian Glick, talking about Cointelpro and the FBI.
Jane Spielman and Sylvia Baraldini on Zimbabwe liberation Jane Spielman and Sylvia Baraldini on Zimbabwe liberation
Call Number: AFR 013Format: Cass A & BCollection: May 19th Communist Organization
Jane Spielman of the May 19th Communist Organization welcomes the Material Aid Campaign for ZANU and the Women’s Organization against Genocide to New York. Discusses the recently liberated Zimbabwe, and how the OAU (Organization of African Unity) and ZANU (Zimbabwe African National Union) fought for independence and support for reconstruction. Sylvia Baraldini, National director of the May 19th Communist Organization, celebrates the victory of Zimbabwe liberation and free elections. She discusses the rebuilding of Zimbabwe as a socialist society.
Interview with Herman Bell Interview with Herman Bell
Date: 6/13/1974Call Number: PM 206Format: Cass A & BProducers: Claude MarksCollection: Herman Bell
Interview with Herman Bell by Claude Marks about the Black Liberation Movement, his refections on political realities for Black communities and the politics of liberation and resistance; his capture in New Orleans; the torture of Black Liberation Army members by the police; BLA members murdered by police in New York; and his vision for the future.
Interview with Herman Bell Interview with Herman Bell
Date: 9/16/1974Call Number: PM 207Format: Cass A & BProducers: Claude MarksCollection: Herman Bell
Interviews with Herman Bell by Claude Marks. The first conducted on September 16, 1974, the day of his conviction of a San Francisco bank robbery and the second September 25, 1974. “just came from the courtroom..if I had had my hopes up high for justice or fair play, I would have been disappointed. No great surprise. The whole charade. I was very relaxed and prepared for it. My position and always will be...look for nothing from these people...” Herman Bell speaks to the issue of prison and how he will continue to struggle ‘I dare to struggle and I dare to win.” Herman Bell talks about his conviction on three felony charges stemming from a Bank of America robbery in San Francisco. The New York Five case is discussed. Discusses means of struggle - sword/pen, reflects on history and future goals.
Interview with Herman Bell Interview with Herman Bell
Date: 8/31/1977Call Number: PM 208Format: Cass A & BCollection: Herman Bell
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.
Black August Commemoration Black August Commemoration
Date: 8/29/2003Call Number: CD 325Format: CDProducers: Barbara Lubinski, Kiilu NyashaProgram: Real Dragon RadioCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
Inserts for Black August 2003. Archie Shepp, Blues for George Jackson, Kiilu Nyasha reading a poem of Marilyn Buck, Youth Against Prisons, Sweet Honey & the Rock performing Assata Shakur’s poem “What is Left”, Mumia Abu Jamal on Haiti & Black August, Amandla poets.
Interview of Mike Tissong, a white newspaper reporter for a South African white newspaper, about his views on news censorship and the political and social situation in South Africa Interview of Mike Tissong, a white newspaper reporter for a South African white newspaper, about his views on news censorship and the political and social situation in South Africa
Call Number: AFR 027Format: Cass A & BCollection: South Africa
Mike Tissong, a white newspaper reporter for a South African Anglo newspaper, is interviewed about his views on news censorship. He speaks about the types of views presented in the news depending on the type of newspaper (liberal, conservative, white, or black),and about the government censorship of black liberation prevalent in South Africa. Tissong also speaks on the dangers of being a white reporter in black townships because that is where the struggle is being waged. He mentions the horrible practice of prison detention of children, and laments the lack of those calling for sanctions (besides prominent people like Desmond Tutu). He comments on the current situation of oppressed people supporting the struggle against Apartheid through armed struggle. He mentions Robert Mugabe’s liberation strategy of a “bullet for a bullet” by killing whites. Tissong speaks about black on black violence in South Africa, pointing out two levels: one of the right wing (IFP - Inkatha Freedom Party), the other from cultural movements in Natal. On political and social movements and organizations, he talks about the Black Consciousness Movement and its call for a stop to violence, and the UDF’s (United Democratic Front) call for violence in the struggle. Lastly, he speaks on the west’s (United States) view of Southern Africa, as they treat it like a game. The west only supports groups like AZAPO (Azanian People’s Organization), but ignores ZANU (Zimbabwe African National Union), and only recognizes the ANC (African National Congress), not other South African liberation organizations.