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.

Independent Collections

These collections were produced by independent journalists. Many of these recordings make up the bulk of the original collection of the Freedom Archives.

Subcollections

Documents

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland
Date: 1/1/1981Call Number: CE 031Format: CassetteProducers: Colin EdwardsProgram: Northern Ireland: Colin Edwards Audition TapeCollection: Colin Edwards Collection
Interviews on situation in Northern Ireland, two with former military, one from Northern Ireland Veterans Against the War, then a retired British General, now professor, who is expert in urban guerrilla warfare, then a former BBC journalist who covered war in Belfast.
Ossie Davis - Wonderful World of Law & Order - part 1 Ossie Davis - Wonderful World of Law & Order - part 1
Call Number: CE 056Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Colin EdwardsCollection: Colin Edwards Collection
Speaking at a literary conference about the need for social action in the streets. A revolutionary message to Black people - a populist folk cultural message protesting segregation. In addition to cruelty, brutality and its murderous nature, segregation can also be depicted as ridiculous and laughable.
Ossie Davis - Wonderful World of Law & Order - part 2 Ossie Davis - Wonderful World of Law & Order - part 2
Call Number: CE 057Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Colin EdwardsCollection: Colin Edwards Collection
Speaking at a literary conference about the need for social action in the streets. A revolutionary message to Black people - a populist folk cultural message protesting segregation. In addition to cruelty, brutality and its murderous nature, segregation can also be depicted as ridiculous and laughable.
Fannie Lou Hamer - part 1 Fannie Lou Hamer - part 1
Date: 9/28/1965Call Number: CE 042Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Colin EdwardsCollection: Colin Edwards Collection
Discusses conditions in Mississippi, role of the police & how the federal government won't protect peoples' civil rights. Remembers Chaney, Goodman & Schwerner murders, admires the Deacons for Defense, Malcolm X (who was to have come to Mississippi the day after his assassination). Comments on the Muslim movement, how she doesn't agree with separation, suggests that Martin Luther King and the SCLC were too middle class, is hopeful about youth and the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party.
Fannie Lou Hamer - part 2 Fannie Lou Hamer - part 2
Date: 9/28/1965Call Number: CE 043Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Colin EdwardsCollection: Colin Edwards Collection
Discusses her life in Mississippi, trying to organize, voting rights. Also describes her attempt to register to vote, arrest & jail - particularly how cops forced other prisoners to beat her under threat of death (they were first made to drink corn whiskey) and despite federal hearings "those same men are still wearing their guns."
Marlon Brando Interview Marlon Brando Interview
Date: 4/1/1968Call Number: CE 059Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Colin EdwardsCollection: Colin Edwards Collection
Speaks about America's racial crisis, racism and discrimination and why people have a right to self-defense. (only 3 minutes recorded on the street)
Selma Support Rally - San Francisco Selma Support Rally - San Francisco
Date: 3/10/1965Call Number: CE 065Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Colin EdwardsCollection: Colin Edwards Collection
St Patrick's Day rally at the Federal Building to "Stop the Bloodbath" in Selma. This period saw numerous rallies in solidarity with marches in Alabama as well as demonstrations sending people to participate.
King Reports - April 1968 King Reports - April 1968
Date: 4/5/1968Call Number: CE 066Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Colin EdwardsCollection: Colin Edwards Collection
1 - Marlon Brando speaks about America's racial crisis, racism and discrimination and why people have a right to self-defense. 2 - Colin commentary on the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr utilizing portions of King's visit to Santa Rita Jail in January 14, 1968 where he supported Joan Baez and draft resisters. 3 - Bay Area Black communities respond to the assassination of Martin Luther King. Colin describes demonstrators in Oakland, San Francisco & Berkeley in the streets and attacks on businesses - also white supremacists driving through the Black community in celebration of the murder. Culminates in a SF City Hall demonstration of over 5000 people including speech of Carlton Goodlett of the Sun Reporter, a recently returned Black Vietnam vet and a high school student.
Marion Berry of SNCC - Part 1 Marion Berry of SNCC - Part 1
Call Number: CE 079Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Colin EdwardsCollection: Colin Edwards Collection
Wide-ranging interview with Marion Berry, representing SNCC.
Marion Berry of SNCC - Part 2 Marion Berry of SNCC - Part 2
Call Number: CE 080Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Colin EdwardsCollection: Colin Edwards Collection
Wide-ranging interview with Marion Berry, representing SNCC.