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

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.
Voices from California Prisons Voices from California Prisons
Date: 9/1/1974Call Number: PM 031Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProgram: Nothing Is More Precious ThanCollection: Political Prisoner Periodicals
Mark Schwartz report on killing of guard at Duell, statewide lockup, Procunier says necessary due to Black Guerrilla Family (BGF). Alleged Black Guerrilla Family (BGF) members put in segregation, actuality of Eugene Allen, Elmer Geronimo Pratt on Graham and Allen, and Doc Holiday on George Jackson (excellent); Larry Justice and Earl Gibson report with Geronimo speaking about their case. Brief music interspersed.
Doc Holiday Interview Doc Holiday Interview
Date: 1/2/1974Call Number: PM 035Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProgram: some used on Nothing Is More Precious ThanCollection: Political Prisoner Periodicals
Long interview with Doc Holiday at San Quentin, why he was transferred, hunger strike after a peaceful demonstration, brutality and beatings, attacks on prisoners, woman interviewer -- Kathy Streem?
Nothing Is More Precious Than inserts Nothing Is More Precious Than inserts
Date: 9/14/1974Call Number: PM 036Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProgram: Nothing Is More Precious ThanCollection: Political Prisoner Periodicals
The Prison Insurrections The Prison Insurrections
Date: 1/1/1974Call Number: PM 050Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Bruce Soloway, Bob KuttnerCollection: Political Prisoner Periodicals
Documentary about five New York prison insurrections in October of 1973 (following the August insurrection in Tombs). Extensive interviews with prisoners and guards about conditions and reasons for takeovers
Report on the murder of George Jackson Report on the murder of George Jackson
Date: 9/12/1974Call Number: PM 054Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProgram: Prison MovementCollection: George Jackson
Report on assassination of George Jackson, including press conferences with warden James Park, Warden Lewis Nelson, State Director of Corrections Raymond Procunier, Georgia Jackson, and DA’s John Thorne and Floyd Silliman. Squeal last ten minutes of tape.
Death of George Jackson Death of George Jackson
Date: 7/9/1974Call Number: PM 055Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Deloris CostelloProgram: George Jackson assassinationCollection: George Jackson
Montage of interviews and press conferences; interview with Georgia Jackson and George Jackson 3 weeks before his death, some music. Dub over the phone.
The Death of George Jackson The Death of George Jackson
Date: 7/9/1974Call Number: PM 131Format: 1/4 15 ipsCollection: George Jackson
Interviews and sound bites of several different people and groups about the death of George Jackson and the six people killed at San Quentin Federal Prison. Includes interviews with Willy Brown, shoppers at a Berkeley grocery store, and Ronald Reagan. Police riot in San Francisco courtroom 8/26/71.
Black Liberation Army - Fact or Fantasy Black Liberation Army - Fact or Fantasy
Date: 1/1/1974Call Number: PM 165Format: 1/4 7 1/2 ipsProducers: Ron Magee, Rest of the News, Claude Marks, Bruce Soloway, Mark SchwartzProgram: Rest of the NewsCollection: BLA
Interviews and discussion concerning the Black Liberation Army and it’s alleged members. The question is raised as to the actual existence of the group which some claim to be a fabrication of the media and police to justify increased repression of Black revolutionaries. Various criminal trials of black activists are looked at to reveal how the local Police, FBI, News Media, and U.S. Justice System have worked together to pursue a repressive course to combat what they see as a threat to the very structure of American Society. Interviews detail use of police violence and torture to intimidate and demoralize the black radical movement. The cases of the “New York Five”, Joanne Chesimard (Assata Shakur), and Fred Hilton are described, along with the killing of Fred Hampton and the imprisonment of Muhammad Arif and Victor Cumerbash. Black Liberation Army prisoners (Herman Bell and Gabriel Torres) are interviewed extensively. Family members speak to the violence and repression of the police at a press conference. The murder by police of Twyman Myers is extensively addressed.
Interview with Herman Bell Interview with Herman Bell
Date: 6/13/1974Call Number: PM 206Format: Cass A & BProducers: Claude MarksCollection: Herman Bell
Interview with Herman Bell by Claude Marks about the Black Liberation Movement, his refections on political realities for Black communities and the politics of liberation and resistance; his capture in New Orleans; the torture of Black Liberation Army members by the police; BLA members murdered by police in New York; and his vision for the future.