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

Black Panther Party Political Education on George Jackson Black Panther Party Political Education on George Jackson
Date: 9/8/1971Call Number: PM 108Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsCollection: George Jackson
Bobby Seale preparing to teach in a garage to Panther kids, asking them what they know about George Jackson, where and how long he was incarcerated. Not much material.
Black Panther Party Political Education Garage School Black Panther Party Political Education Garage School
Date: 9/8/1971Call Number: PM 109Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: BBC - GranadaCollection: Black Panther Party general
Black Panther Party kids singing free political prisoners, free David Hilliard, free Angela Davis, free Ruchell Magee, free all our people. Panther woman (name unknown) leads a class discussing definition of political prisoners and the criminal justice system. If someone can’t feed/clothe their family, doesn’t that make them a political prisoner? Talk about racism in the courtroom, all white juries, how the law doesn’t serve the people, how many people personally know prisoners.
Black Panther Party kids singing and marching Black Panther Party kids singing and marching
Date: 9/8/1971Call Number: PM 110Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsCollection: Black Panther Party general
Several minutes of Black Panther Party kids marching and singing, “the people must be free.”
Interview at Alternative House Interview at Alternative House
Date: 9/14/1971Call Number: PM 111Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsCollection: Political Prisoner Periodicals
Interview with various individuals at “Alternative House” about cycles of violence and repression in prisons. Talk about the increase in abuse after murder of George Jackson, Attica, etc. The more the inside is controlled, the more people will take to the streets. The prison movement is similar to the movement around the world of oppressed people - understanding colonialism in various contexts. Only psychologically sick people can cage and abuse people, which makes revolution that much more possible. It is oppression that makes the revolutionary realize that he is not receiving what any human needs to survive and live with dignity. Distinction between oppression related to mentality vs. material things. Blatant atrocities that are evident within the prison system as well as in the Third World. Cause of prisoners is a just cause - even for those who lack humanity because of the overwhelming cost of housing a prisoner.
George Jackson speaking about fascism ;  Readings from Soledad Brother  (Part 1 of 2) George Jackson speaking about fascism ; Readings from Soledad Brother (Part 1 of 2)
Date: 9/14/1971Call Number: PM 112Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsCollection: George Jackson
Track 1: Great taped interviews of George Jackson speaking about fascism. In depth analysis of 3 stages of fascism and how it has manifested itself in the United States. Talks about need to create communes and revolutionary culture so as to reestablish class consciousness. Fascism destroys sense of community among people of all classes. “We are not acting individually inside the prisons - we are rank and file”. Soledad Brothers does not apply to three people but to all brothers who fight against concentration camps. Track 2: An actor named Chris Graham has a taped reading of the intro to George Jackson’s Soledad Brother. Sounds a lot like George reading it himself. Reel 1 of 2 of Chris Graham reading from autobiography. See PM 118 for Reel 2 of 2.
Actor Chris Graham reading from Soledad Brother (Part 2 of 2) Actor Chris Graham reading from Soledad Brother (Part 2 of 2)
Date: 9/14/1971Call Number: PM 118Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsCollection: George Jackson
Actor Chris Graham does several readings of various passages from Soledad Brother. Sounds a lot like George Jackson. Good quality. Reel 2 of 2. See PM 112 for Reel 1 of 2 with Chris Graham reading Soledad Brother.
Interviews at Alternative House Interviews at Alternative House
Date: 9/14/1971Call Number: PM 119Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsCollection: Political Prisoner Periodicals
Interview with a few individuals at Alternative House about prisons. First interview is with a woman about the violence against prisoners, she also talks about the definition of criminal acts, and how people become victims of the prison industrial system. Next is a short reading of Soledad Brother. This book highlights the injustices he faced while in prison. His anecdotes provide rich material to question the value of prisons and their role in society.
Report of George Jackson’s death.  Report of George Jackson’s death.
Date: 9/14/1971Call Number: PM 122Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsCollection: George Jackson
Only a few minutes long. Report of George Jackson’s death. Several takes of man trying to give details of George’s murder. Prison administration would have one believe that George’s death was justified due to an attempted escape over a 20 foot wall after his attorney supposedly smuggled in a weapon, which George allegedly hid in his hair.
Alternative House interview Alternative House interview
Date: 9/14/1971Call Number: PM 125Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsCollection: Political Prisoner Periodicals
Great analysis of guards playing off of racial divisions among inmates. Guards broke up San Quentin strike after George’s death by targeting white prisoners in adjustment center playing them against black revolutionary prisoners. Retaliation for Davis’ death - using racial conflicts to the advantage of the administration to destroy the unity of the prisoners. Strong leaders on the inside were targeted and shipped out of prisons. Racism exists in San Quentin, but prisoners understand how guards use racism to keep them divided and less strong. Function of penitentiary rests upon individual inmate acknowledging the authority of prison administration. California prisons run so well and can keep expanding because of racism. Systematic brainwashing of these inmates, enslaving their minds and bodies.
Interview about Soledad Brothers Interview about Soledad Brothers
Date: 9/14/1971Call Number: PM 126Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsCollection: Soledad Brothers
Report of Soledad Brother incident, Marin County shootout. Soledad Brother came to achieve greater universality - for all oppressed black people that are confined within any institution. Racism within prison system, black people disproportionately representing prison population. Description of John Clutchette’s situation, allegedly robbery of a television set. Description of Fleeta Drumgo’s case, allegedly associated with a robbery. Description of George Jackson’s case, allegedly involved with a holdup for $71 from a gas station. All pleaded guilty at advice of public defender to get released as quickly as possible. All were instead given indeterminate sentences. Discusses the State’s fear of black manhood. George went up to parole board at least 8 times, consistently denied. George questioned authority and demanded respect from all. Parole boards control inmates in State of CA. Racist nature of questioning by parole boards to intimidate prisoners, who are not allowed presence of attorney or any counsel at time of parole board, nor allowed to appeal that decision.