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

Judy Gerber's Report on El Salvador Judy Gerber's Report on El Salvador
Date: 3/29/1992Call Number: JG/ 112Format: Cass A & BProducers: Judy GerberProgram: slide show presentationCollection: Programs produced by Judy Gerber and Laurie Simms
Audio recording of a slide show presentation. Gerber describes the country two months after the Feb. 1st cease-fire, particularly in terms of women's conditions and rights. Issues of health care, land ownership, sexual and domestic abuse, single female heads of households, illiteracy, and women-as-property are addressed amid discussion of El Salvador's path to reconstruction.
Rigoberta Menchu's Speech in Mexico about Rigoberta Menchu's Speech in Mexico about
Date: 1/1/1992Call Number: CV 032Format: Cass A & BProducers: Chuy ValeraCollection: Chuy Varela Collection
Rigoberta Menchu speaks in Mexico in 1992 about her first novel, "I, Rigoberta Menchu: An Indian Woman in Guatemala". She refers to it as an instrument of peace and justice for those who suffer inequality socially, economically, culturally and politically in the world and a portal the denounce the human rights violations that had been going on in Guatemala and the world. Among other things she talks about the contributions the Mayan Civilization, the significance of respecting the earth, the need for peace, the need for discourse between different global communities and the dire situation facing indigenous communities (especially women) in Guatemala. Her speech is followed by music.
Ernesto Cardenal interview Ernesto Cardenal interview
Date: 10/13/1992Call Number: CV 092Format: CassetteProducers: Chuy VarelaCollection: Chuy Varela Collection
Interview in Spanish with Ernesto Cardenal, leading Nicaraguan poet and Minister of Culture.
The Iran - Contra Affair: and when did you first know? The Iran - Contra Affair: and when did you first know?
Date: 3/1/1992Call Number: V 384Format: VHSProducers: Trella LaughlinCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
Sissy Farenthold and John C. Mattes discuss the Iran-Contra affair, a political scandal in the US which came to light in 1986. It involved President Reagan and his administration which organized and financed an armed opposition group (the Contras) who waged war against Nicaragua to overthrow their government.
Women Against Imperialism-Demos Actions etc. Women Against Imperialism-Demos Actions etc.
Date: 1/1/1992Call Number: V 431Format: VHSCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
Mixture of edited pieces shown on cable news media. Coverage of demos/actions and raw footage. 1984 International Women's Day 700 women march connecting abortion rights to US intervention in Central America and the Phillipines and political prisoners. International Day to Stop Violence Against Women. Protest in Union Square chanting "Stop the silence no more violence women fight back!" Rallying support for FSLN and lesbian safe space. International Womens Day 1988 at Pleasanton Prison calling for the release of women political prisoners and all prisoners. Raw footage of arrests outside Armed Forces Recruitment Center in San Francisco. Protesting US intervention in Central America and the Phillipines. International Women's Day 1991 "Wall of Women Against War." Raw footage of women protesting US support of Israel and war in Iraq and Kuwait. International Women's Day 1992-"500 years of Resistance." March down Columbus Ave. in San Francisco to protest "Christopher Columbus Day."
The Panama Deception The Panama Deception
Date: 7/30/1992Call Number: V 662Format: DVDCollection: Videos in many formats – both camera originals as well as reference materials
This documentary details the case that the 1989 invasion of Panama by the US was motivated not by the need to protect American soldiers, restore democracy or even capture President Manuel Noriega. The film instead posits that the purpose of the conflict was to force Panama to renegotiate the Torrijos–Carter Treaties concerning the Panama Canal and test weapons and strategies for the upcoming Gulf War.