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.

San Quentin Six

The San Quentin Six were a group of six prisoners at San Quentin Prison in California (Hugo Pinell, Willie Tate, Johnny Larry Spain, David Johnson, Fleeta Drumgo and Luis Talamantez) who were accused of participating in an August 21, 1971 escape attempt that left six people dead, including George Jackson. The subsequent 16-month trial was the longest in the state's history at the time.Of the six defendants, one was convicted of murder, two were convicted of assault on prison guards, and three were acquitted of all charges.

Documents

The San Quentin Six The San Quentin Six
Date: 6/17/1974Call Number: PM 001Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Claude Marks, Mark SchwartzProgram: Nothing Is More Precious Than/SpecialCollection: San Quentin Six
Update on civil suit filed against California prison system by the San Quentin 6. Program features background on the 6 as well as George Jackson. Actuality of Jackson, Fania Jordan, Johnny Larry Spain, James “Doc” Holiday, Luis “Bato” Talamantez, Hugo Pinell, Michael Burgener, Fleeta Drumgo, and David Johnson. Ends with Johnny Cash song denouncing San Quentin.
Luis Talamantez interview Luis Talamantez interview
Call Number: PM 014Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProgram: Nothing Is More Precious ThanCollection: San Quentin Six
Interview with several long inserts with Luis Talamantez/one of San Quentin 6, interviewer may be Fania Jordan. Talamantez mentions Mark Merin as good defense attorney.
San Quentin 6: Lincoln Bergman narrative only, tells story well, but actuality not there San Quentin 6: Lincoln Bergman narrative only, tells story well, but actuality not there
Call Number: PM 018Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Lincoln Bergman, Claude MarksProgram: San Quentin 6Collection: San Quentin Six
Lincoln Bergman narrative for San Quentin 6 program, intro possible use, the last insert is excellent!
San Quentin 6 inserts San Quentin 6 inserts
Call Number: PM 019Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Lincoln Bergman, Claude MarksProgram: San Quentin 6 insertsCollection: San Quentin Six
Roland Young reads stories of San Quentin 6 defendants; excellent description of George Jackson’s influence on fellow prisoners.
San Quentin Six San Quentin Six
Date: 3/12/2000Call Number: PM 020Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Claude Marks, Mark Schwartz, Lincoln BergmanProgram: Real Dragon, assorted insertsCollection: San Quentin Six
An incredible array of inserts. San Quentin 6 (with Cleaver in Paris and a former prisoner on the first Soledad 3 murder case), Bob Barber on Olga Talamantez case, Ossie Davis recites Frederick Douglass on struggle, Attica trial with William Kunstler, who recites poem (Bury My heart at Wounded Knee). Paper inside box has notes on inserts,
Interview with Oscar Acosta Interview with Oscar Acosta
Call Number: PM 032Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProgram: Nothing Is More Precious ThanCollection: San Quentin Six
Interview by Mark Schwartz outside courtroom with Oscar Acosta, attorney for Luis Talamantez, on security measures, the shackling of the defendants. a circus, a shambles, not even a semblance of justice, etc. “this is the beginning of the falling apart of this system...” Also CD 275
Interviews with David Johnson and Sundiata Tate for Prisons on Fire Interviews with David Johnson and Sundiata Tate for Prisons on Fire
Date: 6/25/2001Call Number: PM 160Format: DATProducers: Claude MarksProgram: Prisons on FireCollection: San Quentin Six
Interviews with David Johnson and Sundiata Tate for Prisons on Fire. They speak about August 21, 1971 and the murder of George Jackson, the takeover of the San Quentin adjustment Center, George Jackson’s life and their own.
The San Quentin Six Sue the Prison System The San Quentin Six Sue the Prison System
Date: 6/17/1974Call Number: PM 269Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Claude Marks, Mark SchwartzProgram: Nothing Is More Precious Than/SpecialCollection: San Quentin Six
Some of the San Quentin Six and others speak about their upcoming suit on brutality within the California prison system. They describe prisoner treatment-including shackles, tear gas, degradation, and specifically the Adjustment Center Unit. Includes Johnny Larry Spain, Luis "Bato" Talamantez, James "Doc" Holiday, Hugo Pinell, Michael Burgener, Fleeta Drumgo, David Johnson. Interspersed is commentary from lawyer Fania Davis Jordan. George Jackson's voice opens and closes the program.
San Quentin 6 and George Jackson San Quentin 6 and George Jackson
Call Number: CD 580Collection: San Quentin Six
Update on civil suit filed against California prison system by the San Quentin 6. Program features background on the 6 as well as George Jackson. Actuality of Jackson, Fania Jordan, Johnny Larry Spain, James “Doc” Holiday, Luis “Bato” Talamantez, Hugo Pinell, Michael Burgener, Fleeta Drumgo, and David Johnson. Ends with Johnny Cash song denouncing San Quentin. [PM 001] BBC Report, Iron Box: The Prison Life and Death of George Jackson, on Jackson after assassination, good Jackson actuality, Fay Stender, early blues music, Inez Williams, Doris Maxwell (Clutchette's mother), Elsa Knight Thompson on prison, Frazel Sheldon, public defender Sonoma County, Robert Charles Jordan 1966 suit for cruel and unusual punishment. [PM 023]
Court Minutes from the San Quentin Six Trial Court Minutes from the San Quentin Six Trial
Format: CompilationCollection: San Quentin Six
Court Minutes from March 1975 pre-trial to December 29, 1975.