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, specifcally AND/+, NOT/-, and OR operators. 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.
Welcome to the Freedom Archives' Digital Search Engine.The Freedom Archives contains over 12,000 hours of audio and video recordings which date from the late-1960s to the mid-90s and chronicle the progressive history of the Bay Area, the United States, and international movements. We are also in the process of scanning and uploading thousands of historical documents which enrich our media holdings. Our collection includes weekly news, poetry, music programs; in-depth interviews and reports on social and cultural issues; numerous voices from behind prison walls; diverse activists; and pamphlets, journals and other materials from many radical organizations and movements.

Oakland Induction Center

During the Vietnam War young male draftees would arrive at the Oakland Induction Center on Clay Street for processing and  physical exams. Throughout this period, anti-war activists would conduct protests outside the Induction Center. Much of our collection centers on street reporting from Colin Edwards during Stop the Draft Week 1967. In California, Stop the Draft Week organizers led 3000 marchers to the Oakland Induction Center on October 16, 1967. When marchers refused police orders to leave, police attacked them with nightsticks, injuring 20. On the second day, demonstrators returned to the Induction Center, and this time 97 were arrested. On the third day, 10,000 protesters arrived, this time retreating in orderly fashion but also successfully blocking streets as they departed.This collection also includes coverage of the mutiny on the Coral Sea, anti-war demonstrations and speeches on the UC Berkeley campus, audio excerpts from a protest at Port Chicago and other anti-war content.

Documents

Reagan University of California Berkeley State of Emergency Announcement Reagan University of California Berkeley State of Emergency Announcement
Date: 5/1969Call Number: CE 930Format: 1/4 3 3/4 ipsProducers: Colin EdwardsCollection: Oakland Induction Center
Includes statements on protests, students, Cal, and People's Park by Governor Reagan.
Oct 16 Demo Oakland Induction Center Reel 1 Oct 16 Demo Oakland Induction Center Reel 1
Date: 10/16/1967Call Number: CE 903Volume Number: Reel 1Format: 1/4 3 3/4 ipsProducers: Colin EdwardsCollection: Oakland Induction Center
A description of a picket blocking the Oakland Induction Center. Includes an interview with picketers, particularly Joan Baez, a prominent singer and activist of the time. Interviews with protesters following the abduction of multiple picketers by police, as well as the impact of the protests on those in the process of being drafted.
Protest Against CIA At UC Berkeley Protest Against CIA At UC Berkeley
Date: 11/7/1967Call Number: CE 919Format: 1/4 3 3/4 ipsProducers: Colin EdwardsCollection: Oakland Induction Center
A protest against the CIA as well as covert interests being present on the UC Berkeley campus.
Joan Baez in Court December 20, 1967 Joan Baez in Court December 20, 1967
Date: 12/20/1967Call Number: CE 923Format: 1/4 3 3/4 ipsProducers: Colin EdwardsCollection: Oakland Induction Center
Contains a brief interview with Joan Baez discussing both her strategy of civil disobedience as well as her reasons for standing against war.
Oakland Induction Center KPFA Coverage Oakland Induction Center KPFA Coverage
Publisher: KPFA RadioDate: 10/17/1967Call Number: CE 906Format: 1/4 3 3/4 ipsProducers: Colin EdwardsCollection: Oakland Induction Center
With coverage beginning at 7am with a news broadcast, this details demonstrations of protest against the Vietnam War signified by individuals attempting to turn in their draft cards. This protest was also met with police brutality by both the Oakland Police Department and the California Highway Patrol, as well as a businessman attempting to affect citizens arrest on protesters attempting to turn in their draft cards.
UC Rally (the Day Before) Oakland Induction Center Protests UC Rally (the Day Before) Oakland Induction Center Protests
Date: 10/17/1967Call Number: CE 912Format: 1/4 3 3/4 ipsProducers: Colin EdwardsCollection: Oakland Induction Center
A recording of the rally that preceded the following day's protest at the Oakland Induction Center. Taking place in Berkeley the agenda of the rally informs demonstrators of what the goals for the next day will be as well as what to expect from police and other law enforcement agents.
Oakland Induction Center Oakland Induction Center
Date: 10/17/1967Call Number: CE 907Format: 1/4 3 3/4 ipsProducers: Colin EdwardsCollection: Oakland Induction Center
Starts with teach-in on October 16th on the UC Berkeley campus. A narration of the events that led to the closing of the UC Berkeley campus and the response by students who felt their right to freedom of speech had been taken away. Then proceeds to describe the October 17th Oakland Induction protest and the response by police, and the initial clash between demonstrators and Oakland Police. Including interviews with people (including a doctor) brutalized by police. Other incidents include a man crashing his car into demonstrators.
Spring Mobilization '67 Reel 1 Spring Mobilization '67 Reel 1
Date: 4/15/1967Call Number: CE 901Volume Number: Reel 1Format: 1/4 3 3/4 ipsProducers: Colin EdwardsCollection: Oakland Induction Center
Begins with a brief deliberation by Reagan on the limitations of dissent. Continues to a narration of Colin Edwards detailing the spring mobilization against the Vietnam War in San Francisco.
Spring Mobilization '67 Reel 2 Spring Mobilization '67 Reel 2
Date: 4/15/1967Call Number: CE 902Volume Number: Reel 2Format: 1/4 3 3/4 ipsProducers: Colin EdwardsCollection: Oakland Induction Center
A continuation of the first reel, with details and strategies that organizers of the protest that would be happening the next day outlined.
Teach-in Master Reel 3 Teach-in Master Reel 3
Date: 10/17/1967Call Number: CE 911Volume Number: Reel 3Format: 1/4 3 3/4 ipsProducers: Colin EdwardsCollection: Oakland Induction Center
Begins prior to march to Induction Center in Oakland. Starts with 19 year old girl saying she does not participate in demonstrations. In center of reel Parkinson reads faculty-clergy denunciation of injunction as attack on free speech. Also includes tension between speakers with different approaches to the actual inductees.