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

Bobby Kennedy (in Spanish) speaks to Farmworkers Bobby Kennedy (in Spanish) speaks to Farmworkers
Call Number: CE 416Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Colin EdwardsCollection: Colin Edwards Collection
Bobby Kennedy speaks in Delano expressing his support for the labor union and human rights of the farmworkers. Some of it with humor: "Is that all right Cesar, am I destroying the language?" They sing Solidarity Forever at the end.
Californians of Mexican descent; Program #1: How, when, and why they came, Reel 1 of 2 Californians of Mexican descent; Program #1: How, when, and why they came, Reel 1 of 2
Date: 5/1/1963Call Number: CE 641Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Collin B. EdwardsProgram: Californians of Mexican descentCollection: Colin Edwards Collection
Details a brief history of California from the conquest of Spain until the early 1900s. Discusses missionaries, the development of pueblos (mission settlements), and immigration from US to Mexico in the early 1900s. Interviews from Californians about family immigration narratives.
Californians of Mexican descent; Program #1: How, when, and why they came, Reel 2 of 2 Californians of Mexican descent; Program #1: How, when, and why they came, Reel 2 of 2
Date: 5/1/1963Call Number: CE 642Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Collin B. EdwardsProgram: Californians of Mexican descentCollection: Colin Edwards Collection
Discussion of the reasons for immigration from Mexico to US following the years after the onset of the Mexican Revolution; includes discussion of Bracero Program, Operation Wetback, and immigration narratives.
Californians of Mexican descent; Program #2: The culture they brought, Reel 2 of 2 Californians of Mexican descent; Program #2: The culture they brought, Reel 2 of 2
Date: 5/8/1963Call Number: CE 644Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Collin B. EdwardsProgram: Californians of Mexican descentCollection: Colin Edwards Collection
Discussion of the culture and skills Mexicans brought to California: dance, the question of Native influence, metal and leather craftsmanship, stone cutting and mining techniques, agricultural knowledge, and irrigation.
Californians of Mexican descent; Program #3 Culture and the question of language, Reel 1 of 2 Californians of Mexican descent; Program #3 Culture and the question of language, Reel 1 of 2
Date: 5/15/1963Call Number: CE 645Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Collin B. EdwardsProgram: Californians of Mexican descentCollection: Colin Edwards Collection
Discusses how closely Californians of Mexican descent retain Mexican language and culture. Multiple interviews about the use of Spanish and English. The danger of the loss of cultural identity, assimilation, inferiority, and bilingualism.
Californians of Mexican descent; Program #3 Culture and the question of language, Reel 2 of 2 Californians of Mexican descent; Program #3 Culture and the question of language, Reel 2 of 2
Date: 5/18/1963Call Number: CE 646Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Collin B. EdwardsProgram: Californians of Mexican descentCollection: Colin Edwards Collection
Various interviews conducted; discussion of the challenges of the acquisition/retention of Spanish with each generation of Mexican Americans, Spanglish or code switching, the role of communities in language usage; literacy, and the interest or lack thereof in Mexican and Spanish language literature.
Californians of Mexican descent; Program #4 Drama in the Mexican Community, Reel 2 of 2 Californians of Mexican descent; Program #4 Drama in the Mexican Community, Reel 2 of 2
Date: 5/22/1963Call Number: CE 648Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Collin B. EdwardsProgram: Californians of Mexican descentCollection: Colin Edwards Collection
Explores the interest in Mexican film in Mexican Americans, and the differences between films from Mexico and the US. Various interviews.
Californians of Mexican descent; Program #5 Their taste and talent in music, Reel 1 of 2 Californians of Mexican descent; Program #5 Their taste and talent in music, Reel 1 of 2
Date: 5/29/1963Call Number: CE 649Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Collin B. EdwardsProgram: Californians of Mexican descentCollection: Colin Edwards Collection
Explores the musical interests of Californians of Mexican descent including their attachment or lack thereof to Mexican music, Latin music, and music from the US. Various interviews.
Californians of Mexican descent; Program #7 The matter of taste, Reel 1 of 2 Californians of Mexican descent; Program #7 The matter of taste, Reel 1 of 2
Date: 6/12/1963Call Number: CE 653Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Collin B. EdwardsProgram: Californians of Mexican descentCollection: Colin Edwards Collection
Explores the extent of Mexican Americans’ attachment to Mexican food. Extended interview with restaurant owner and chef that details staples of Mexican cuisine and diet.
Californians of Mexican descent; Program #7 The matter of taste, Reel 2 of 2 Californians of Mexican descent; Program #7 The matter of taste, Reel 2 of 2
Date: 6/12/1963Call Number: CE 654Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Collin B. EdwardsProgram: Californians of Mexican descentCollection: Colin Edwards Collection
Examines in great detail staples of Mexican cuisine and diet.