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 We are also in the process of scanning and uploading thousands of historical documents which enrich our media holdings.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.

Control Units

This collection contains materials pertaining to the proliferation of control units and super-max prisons across the US. Since their emergence in the mid 1980s, these units now exist in every single state. Control units are often also called SHU (Secure Housing Unit); CMU (Communication Management Unit); Super-Max Prison and other names. No matter what the name, there are four major similarities one finds in all control units: 

1. Long-term incarceration - Once placed in a control unit, it is very difficult to get back into general population. 

2. Minimal Oversight - Administrators and guards have unchecked authority to punish and manage inmates, without outside review or prisoner grievance systems.

3. Prolonged Isolation/Solitary confinement - Rely heavily on intensive (and long-term) solitary confinement, which is used to isolate and punish prisoners as well as to protect them from themselves and each other. Communication with outsiders is minimal. Most prisoners are confined to their cells 23 hours a day.

4. No activities - Few opportunities are provided for recreation, education, substance abuse programs, or other activities generally considered healthy and rehabilitative at other prisons.

In particular, the collection features materials documenting conditions at FCI Marianna, opened in August 1988 in Florida and thought to be the replacement for the Women's control unit at Lexington; Marion Prison, located in Southern Illinois, this prison became the model for the proliferation of control units nationally and internationally following its lockdown and subsequent control unit;  and ADX Florence, an entirely underground prison which opened in 1994 and is often called the "Alcatraz of the Rockies.”

Documents

Control Unit Prisons Control Unit Prisons
Publisher: CLAWSFormat: FlyerCollection: Control Units
A brief factsheet about Control Unit Prisons and their conditions.
NPR Report on Marion Lockdown [mp3] NPR Report on Marion Lockdown [mp3]
Call Number: Format: mp3Producers: National Public Radio (NPR)Collection: Control Units
Jacki Lydon reports on the 3rd year of the Marion lockdown. Describes conditions, who is imprisoned and why, and allegations of ill treatment and Human Rights violations. Includes interviews with administration and inmates. Transcript is available for download: http://www.freedomarchives.org/Documents/Finder/DOC3_scans/3.inside.marion.008.pdf
Bill Dunne on Control Units [mp3] Bill Dunne on Control Units [mp3]
Call Number: Format: mp3Collection: Control Units
Bill Dunne on control units and how they pose a larger threat to freedom struggles.
Marion Mind Control Prison of Today Marion Mind Control Prison of Today
Publisher: Committee to defend the Marion BrothersYear: 1976Format: PamphletCollection: Control Units
History and conditions of Marion prison's Control Unit.
Marianna - The BOP's Marion for Women Marianna - The BOP's Marion for Women
Format: MonographCollection: Control Units
Essay on the opening of Marianna FCI, FL and the governments efforts to transfer female political prisoners there.
Compilation of Reports on Marianna Prison (prior to its opening) Compilation of Reports on Marianna Prison (prior to its opening)
Authors: Jan Susler, Sue SturtzFormat: CompilationCollection: Control Units
Compilation of Reports about Marianna Prison before its opening. Letter (June 30, 1988) from Jan Susler to the women political prisoners who will be held in Marianna Prison regarding a conversation she had with the warden's executive assistant about the new prison, privileges and more. A report by Sue Sturtz about a tour of the prison, its layout, the visiting area, education, the cells, etc. Info sheet about the opening of FCI Marianna and its corresponding prison camp.
Reports from Visits to Marianna FCI Women's Unit Reports from Visits to Marianna FCI Women's Unit
Author: Sue SturtzYear: 1988Format: ReportCollection: Control Units
Compilation of reports from three visits to Marianna FCI Women's Unit (August 26,1988; September 8-9, 1988 and October 13, 1988).
Personal essay of experience at Marianna FCI Women's Unit Personal essay of experience at Marianna FCI Women's Unit
Author: Carol S. ManningFormat: CorrespondenceCollection: Control Units
Reproduction of handwritten personal essay describing Carol Manning's experience at Marianna Prison. A typed copy of this material is also available.
Graphics: Diagrams of Control Units Graphics: Diagrams of Control Units
Author: R. DeerYear: 1994Format: GraphicCollection: Control Units
Reproduction of original drawings.
Youth Institute on Prisons, Racism and Society Youth Institute on Prisons, Racism and Society
Publisher: National Campaign to Stop Control Unit PrisonsYear: 1997Format: PamphletCollection: Control Units
Sponsored by the National Campaign to Stop Control Unit Prisons, participants develop an understanding of crime, prisons, and racisms through readings, discussions and presentations as well as gain the skills necessary to organize and participate in campaigns to change the current criminal justice system.