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

Just Peace Interview with Judy Gerber and Judy Siff Just Peace Interview with Judy Gerber and Judy Siff
Date: 5/9/1988Call Number: JG/ 110Format: Cass A & BProducers: Bethanne, Gary WashtingtonProgram: Just PeaceCollection: Programs produced by Judy Gerber and Laurie Simms
Amid theme songs, two women are interviewed about their work with the John Brown Anti Klan Committee, describing the interconnectedness of all social issues and why "The Klan" and other such organizations are beyond free speech rights as they incite hate and encourage a climate of white supremacy to this day. They also speculate as to the US government's historic crack down on liberation organizations rather than the Klan.
Black Liberation Army communication on Jacksonville events Black Liberation Army communication on Jacksonville events
Date: 7/5/1974Call Number: CD 556Format: CDProducers: Claude MarksCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
Safiyah Bukhari reads Black Liberation Army (BLA) communication from underground location about the BLA’s position on the killings in Jacksonville, the organization’s missions, and goals for the people of the United States.
J Edgar Hoover and the Great American Inquisitions J Edgar Hoover and the Great American Inquisitions
Date: 1/1/1999Call Number: V 296Format: DVDCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
This scathing documentary chronicles the career of J. Edgar Hoover, director of the FBI for more than 40 years. His lifelong obsession with communists that began with the “Red Scare” of the early 1920s and manifested itself into a mission hell-bent on eradicating anyone suspected of engaging in anti-American activities, be they actors, politicians or protest groups. A masterful propagandist, Hoover took every opportunity given him to create a public atmosphere of outsider paranoia – and his fears ran deep. By the time of his death in 1972, Hoover’s FBI had compiled thousands of individual secret files and completed countless illegal operations.
Outcry LA Outcry LA
Date: 3/25/1992Call Number: V 305Format: UmaticCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
A special about the April 1992 Los Angeles rebellion in the wake of the Rodney King verdict and the exoneration of the cops. opening 10 minutes only
UCSC Afternoon UCSC Afternoon
Date: 1/1/1111Call Number: PM 277Format: Cass A & BCollection: Death penalty
A conference at UC Santa Cruz includes talks by Prof. Craig Haney on prison conditions and the death penalty and by Judy Greenspan of the California Coalition for Women Prisoners. Also holds a workshop addressing women in prison, prison and industry, the death penalty and race.
James Baldwin James Baldwin
Call Number: CV 003Format: Cass A & BCollection: Chuy Varela Collection
James Baldwin speaking about collective movements, what it means to be an American, early American history, the slave trade, and what it means to be an African American in the United States. Question and Answers from audience.
Soledad Earphones Part 1 Soledad Earphones Part 1
Date: 8/25/1970Call Number: CV 008Format: CassetteProducers: Denny SmithsonProgram: KPFA Public Affairs DepartmentCollection: Chuy Varela Collection
Radio documentary on conditions in Soledad Prison with prisoner interviews and descriptions of prison administration.
Soledad Earphones Part 3 Soledad Earphones Part 3
Date: 8/25/1970Call Number: CV 010Format: CassetteProducers: Denny SmithsonProgram: LPFA Public Affairs DepartmentCollection: Chuy Varela Collection
Radio documentary on conditions in Soledad Prison with prisoner interviews and descriptions of prison administration.
Dick Gregory @ KPFA Dick Gregory @ KPFA
Date: 6/15/1985Call Number: CV 017Format: CassetteProducers: KPFAProgram: KPFACollection: Chuy Varela Collection
Comedian and social activist Dick Gregory delivers a speech for KPFA Radio covering a range of topics from hunger and economic inequality to nutrition and organization.
War on Crime Panel War on Crime Panel
Date: 4/8/1995Call Number: PM 288Format: Cass A & BCollection: Political Prisoner Periodicals
Panel of speakers providing critical perspectives on the government's "War on Crime" and related topics.