</s>FED. 248 (REV. 4:13:60) H. S. Department of Justice MATERIAL MUST NOT BE REMOVED FROM OR ADDED TO THIS F DO NOT DESTROY FEDERAL BUREAU ENTIRE FILE REVIEWED FOR HISTORICAL DECLASSIFICATION DO NOT STRIP of INVESTIGATION Bureau File Number: 4/4-3886/ Volume Number: 1/3/8861 Serials ALL INFORMATION CONTAINED DO NOT DISTROY HEREIN IS UNCLASSIFIED DATE: 2202-BYSP-01/04 120 PRESERVE FOR SELECT COMMITTEE ON ASSINATION See also Nos. 1/4 Gphat Sh See also No. 1A Gphatt Sh Jus 1A. Oreg 3/20 Jed 13-1/2/2-1-1.1/4/2.1.2/3.2.2-2.3/4.2 Homer 45/6/8 2023 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14/76

Summary  
The documents detail FBI investigations and surveillance activities related to Martin Luther King Jr.'s (MLK) assassination on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. Post-assassination inquiries focused on assessing potential retaliatory actions or demonstrations by the Negro community, with contacts made in Joplin, Missouri, including IRVEN LOUIS WALKER (Greyhound Bus Station employee), JOSEPH W. JACKSON (FBI agent), and DUNCAN BROWN (NAACP chapter liaison). All reports indicated no plans for violence; instead, the Joplin NAACP chapter opposed demonstrations, and a memorial service was scheduled for April 6, 1968, at the American Methodist Episcopal Church, with eulogies delivered by Rev. CLINTON DAWSON and other pastors. The FBI was advised to monitor for signs of unrest.  

Additional documents from May 1–23, 1968, describe ongoing surveillance of individuals linked to MLK’s assassination, including JAMES EARL RAY (JER), William H. Hickman, George Brooks, Charles Perrin, and Rev. W. E. Pitts (NAACP leader). Surveillance efforts tracked potential threats against MLK, planned memorials, and associations with civil rights groups. Unrelated cases, such as thefts and drug activities, were also noted as part of broader intelligence gathering. A memorandum from May 22, 1968, references an informant (Mrs. JOIN WILLIAMS/THERIA BROWN) in Sparks, Nevada, who claimed a man paid $1500 for a palm reading and later saw a TV image of the person allegedly responsible for "MARTIN LITTLE KINSON" (likely MLK). Mrs. BROWN identified the individual as matching JER’s description but cautioned that gypsies may fabricate stories unless approached with a suitable pretext.  

Key People  
- IRVEN LOUIS WALKER (Greyhound Bus Station employee, Joplin)  
- JOSEPH W. JACKSON (FBI agent)  
- DUNCAN BROWN (NAACP chapter liaison, Joplin)  
- REV. CLINTON DAWSON (pastor, Unity Baptist Church; principal speaker at memorial service)  
- JAMES EARL RAY (central figure in MLK assassination investigation)  
- WILLIAM H. HICKMAN (monitored for MLK-related actions)  
- GEORGE BROOKS (investigated for potential involvement in MLK’s assassination)  
- CHARLES PERRIN (tracked for ties to integration groups and MLK-related activities)  
- REV. W. E. PITTS (NAACP leader consulted on memorial plans)  
- MRS. JOIN WILLIAMS/THERIA BROWN (gypsy palm reader, Sparks, Nevada)  
- WILLIAM P. HAYES (SA, SAC contact)  
- SAC (Special Agent in Charge, Kansas City Field Office)  

Key Locations  
- Memphis, Tennessee (site of MLK’s assassination)  
- Joplin, Missouri (Greyhound Bus Station, American Methodist Episcopal Church)  
- Kansas City, Missouri (FBI field office; PCI monitoring)  
- Sparks, Nevada (Mrs. BROWN’s location)  
- Columbia, N.C.; Jefferson City, Mo.; Sedalia, Mo.; St. Louis, Mo. (surveillance locations for unrelated cases)  

Key Events  
- FBI investigation into potential retaliatory actions or demonstrations following MLK’s assassination (April 4, 1968)  
- Planning of memorial service for MLK in Joplin (April 6, 1968)  
- Surveillance of NAACP and civil rights groups for threats related to MLK  
- Monitoring of individuals linked to MLK’s assassination, including James Earl Ray  
- PCI contact regarding JER’s movements and Georgia license plate vehicles  
- Informant report linking a man to MLK’s assassination via Mrs. BROWN’s palm reading  
- Reporting on unrelated cases (e.g., thefts, drug activities) as part of broader surveillance  

Key Organizations  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Kansas City Field Office  
- National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) – Joplin Chapter  
- Unity Baptist Church (Joplin)  
- Special Agent in Charge (SAC)  
- Confidential Informant (CI)  
- Person of Interest (PCI)

MLK Declassified Files

44-kc-760_404058_173-07.pdf

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