</s>190-HQ.709-231 BUCKY 231-ONLY 2014 FBI - CENTRAL RECORDS CENTER HQ- HEADQUARTERS PART 2 OF Class: C/case # Sub Vol. Part 1 of 0190 770 2 231 ONLY 8/19/3/5/2654 REPADAUSU 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail events in Memphis, Tennessee, during April 1968, including racial tensions, protests, and police actions amid civil unrest. They reference Martin Luther King Jr.'s involvement in marches, clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement, and incidents involving looters, casualties, and the use of tear gas by authorities. The death of Larry Payne, a 10-year-old killed by police during riots, is noted, along with federal troop deployment to Memphis. Later documents from March 1968 and subsequent years describe violent confrontations during King’s Memphis march on March 28, 1968, including looters, casualties, and police crackdowns. References include planned commemorations for the anniversary of King’s assassination on April 4, 1969, such as vigils, symbolic events like "Black Easter," and a mock trial related to James Earl Ray. FBI documents from February 1969 discuss internal security concerns regarding communist infiltration of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), noting meetings in Alabama and Georgia planning civil rights activities and commemorations. Additional materials reference investigations into King’s assassination, including James Earl Ray’s guilty plea, legal appeals, and discussions about FBI and Justice Department involvement. Conspiracy theories, declassified files under Executive Order 14176, and media coverage of the case are also mentioned.  

Key People  
- Martin Luther King Jr.  
- James Earl Ray (implicated in assassination)  
- L.D. Jones (patrolman)  
- Larry Payne (victim)  
- Mrs. Mason Payne (Payne’s mother)  
- Rev. Ralph Abernathy (SCLC leader)  
- Rev. Bernard Lafayette (SCLC program director)  
- Rev. Wyatt T. Walker (led commemorative vigils)  
- Hosea Williams (SCLC official)  
- Andrew Young (SCLC official)  
- Rev. T. Rogers (SCLC president)  
- John R. Raoul (French Canadian lawyer associated with investigations)  
- Harold Harold (mentioned in legal cases and connections to military/law enforcement)  
- Robert F. Kennedy (implied through references to "Kennedy Plan" and related investigations)  

Key Locations  
- Memphis, Tennessee (marches, riots, police actions, federal troop deployment)  
- Clay-Evans Temple; Beale Street; areas of the city associated with racial tensions and protests  
- Montgomery, Alabama (meetings, commemorations)  
- Birmingham, Alabama (FBI reports on SCLC activities)  
- New York City (United Nations vigil)  
- Atlanta, Georgia (legal proceedings and administrative documents)  
- London, England (Ray’s movements and connections)  
- Nashville, Tennessee (Tennessee State Prison where Ray was incarcerated)  

Key Events  
- Memphis riots (April 1968); marches led by Martin Luther King Jr.  
- Police crackdowns involving tear gas and chemical agents; deaths and injuries during clashes with demonstrators  
- Arrest of over 275 individuals; federal troop deployment to quell unrest  
- Violent confrontation during King’s Memphis march on March 28, 1968, including looters and casualties  
- Planning for April 4, 1969 commemorations of King’s assassination (vigils, "Black Easter," mock trial proposals)  
- FBI investigations into SCLC activities and potential communist infiltration (meetings in Alabama and Georgia)  
- Guilty plea by James Earl Ray for King’s assassination in 1968; legal appeals and attempts to withdraw the plea  
- Legal challenges involving the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and Justice Department  
- Discussions about Ray’s alleged connections to military or law enforcement networks  
- Media coverage of the case, including reports from *The New York Times* and *The Washington Post*  

Key Organizations  
- Local police departments; National Guard units; federal authorities (including FBI references)  
- Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC); United Nations (hosted commemorative vigils)  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); U.S. Justice Department  
- Legal firms and law offices associated with Ray’s defense and related cases  
- Courts, including the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and Tennessee State Prison administration  
- Operation Bread Basket (planned symbolic events)

MLK Declassified Files

190-hq-709_bulky_231_sec_002_ser_231_only-part_01_of_10.pdf

Document Summary

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