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

Nelson Mandela Released Nelson Mandela Released
Call Number: V 365Format: VHSProgram: CBS News Sunday Morning, PBS The Macneil Lehere News HourCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
CBS news coverage of Nelson Mandela's release from Victor Verster Prison in South Africa and interviews of supporters. Brief material with Pete Seeger singing about freedom. German Reunification.
Samouri Marksman on African and Caribbean people, Part 1 Samouri Marksman on African and Caribbean people, Part 1
Date: 1/16/1985Call Number: CD 652Format: CDProgram: African Activists in AmericaCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
Michael Warren, chairman of African Activists in America, speaks about Maurice Bishop, and introduces Samouri Marksman. Marksman speaks about struggles of African people around the world; how Europeans control Latin American economies, cultures, and societies, and the struggle for Latin American independence; the struggle to alter the slave relationship with Europeans in the Carribean and Africa; critisizes the IMF (International Monetary Fund) ; and American politics in South Africa and the struggle against Apartheid.
Samouri Marksman on African and Caribbean people, Part 2 Samouri Marksman on African and Caribbean people, Part 2
Date: 1/16/1985Call Number: CD 653Format: CDProgram: African Activists in AmericaCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
Michael Warren, chairman of African Activists in America, speaks about Maurice Bishop, and introduces Samouri Marksman. Marksman speaks about struggles of African people around the world; how Europeans control Latin American economies, cultures, and societies, and the struggle for Latin American independence; the struggle to alter the slave relationship with Europeans in the Carribean and Africa; critisizes the IMF (International Monetary Fund) ; and American politics in South Africa and the struggle against Apartheid.
International Roundup International Roundup
Date: 6/16/1979Call Number: FI 113Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Heber Dreher, Barbara LubinskiProgram: Freedom Is A Constant StruggleCollection: Freedom is a Constant Struggle
Soweto anniversary, Nicaragua: major Sandinista offensive and general strike; Zimbabwe solidarity rally in San Francisco, detailed information on situation in southern Africa.
South Africa Update South Africa Update
Date: 1/19/1980Call Number: FI 114Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Barbara Lubinski, Heber DreherProgram: Freedom Is A Constant StruggleCollection: Freedom is a Constant Struggle
Analysis of importance of southern Africa to US empire and economy; Steve Feeback reports on his visit to learn about resistance in the South African military; Don Morden, Methodist minister from South Africa speaks against apartheid.
Winnie Mandela interview Winnie Mandela interview
Call Number: CD 691Format: CDProgram: Freedom Is A Constant StruggleCollection: Compact discs and videos representing digitized copies of analog tapes
Winnie Mandela is interviewed on her political trajectory, discrimination she encountered, and the freedom struggle in South Africa. Speaks to her role both as a social worker and organizer with Black Women's Federation.
Bruce Wright on racism Bruce Wright on racism
Date: 11/4/1989Call Number: V 397Format: VHSProducers: KonnectionsCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
Lecture by Bruce Wright, judge, scholar, poet and activist for social justice. Using his own experience as a Black man, he describes the history of US racism and the criminal justice system. Transcript available for download.
No Pasaran - You Have Struck a Rock No Pasaran - You Have Struck a Rock
Date: 1/1/1985Call Number: V 434Format: VHSCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
Anti-Imperialism struggles and Anti-Apartheid protests in Chicago. Links women's Anti-Pass movement in South Africa to struggles in Central America and the "No Pasaran" protests. Also contains recording of 1985 International Women's Day.
South Africa Liberation South Africa Liberation
Date: 6/18/1983Call Number: FI 156Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Barbara Lubinski, Heber DreherProgram: Freedom Is A Constant StruggleCollection: Freedom is a Constant Struggle
Program on South African struggle, with report from event commemorating the Soweto uprising, and speeches by South African liberation spokespeople.
Nelson Mandela in Oakland Nelson Mandela in Oakland
Date: 6/30/1990Call Number: CD 658Format: Cass A & BCollection: African liberation movements
On June 30, 1990, Ron Dellums along with Harry Belafonte introduce Mandela and other speakers and artists take the stage to discuss the injustices of apartheid. Nelson Mandela speaks about ending apartheid in South Africa and establishing democracy. Mandela emphasizes the importance of the movement within the Bay Area to end apartheid and how it has inspired the people in South Africa to keep up the struggle.