</s>Memorandum for Mr. Belmont RE: COMMUNIST PAINTTY, USA NEGHO QUESTION COMMUNIST INFLUENCE IN RACIAL MATTERS Interpretation: As we know, facts by themselves are not too meaningful, for they they somehow like stones tossed in a heap as contrasted to the same stones put in the form of a sound edifice. It is obvious to now that we did not put the proper interpretation upon the facts which we gave to the Director. Martin Luther King: We have been aware of the communist influence for nonruly two years on Martin Luther King, Jr ., the head of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and in the comprehensive memorandum entitled (Communist Party), USA, Negro Question, dated 9/22/63 we set out in the United States, and on the right side of the nation's borders in this country have had subversive connections in their boundaries and that Martin Luther king Jr. he has been dealing with stated, we are in complete agreement with the 'previously communism influence is being exerted on Martin Director that and that King is the strongest of the Negro leaders. As we have stated before a memorandum, we regard Martin Luther KING Jr. and that king is the greatest of the negro leaders. We have In addition, we know the Party is directing a major effort toward strengthened its position among the Negroes imasnach as we have information on the Party plans to intensity its efforts to exploit the political situation for the purpose of gaining influence among the Negroes. -172- - - - - - - - - - 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI and government investigations into communist influence on Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), spanning 1963–1976. A September 22, 1963, memorandum notes the FBI’s belief that the Communist Party USA sought to exploit racial tensions to infiltrate African American leadership networks, including MLK’s activities. Later records reference political implications of disseminating such information and warnings about leaks during the 1964 presidential campaign. In 1976, a U.S. Attorney General letter requests James Earl Ray’s cooperation in reviewing the MLK assassination investigation, noting ongoing legal challenges to his 1968 indictment for murder. A subsequent court case (1976) involves Ray suing TIME Inc., George Konillian, W. Henry Hall, and others for defamation, alleging false claims about his involvement in MLK’s death. The complaint details Ray’s coerced guilty plea, legal appeals, and FBI interactions, including threats of solitary confinement during incarceration. Legal proceedings also address reward disputes over information about the assassination, with Judge Charles R. Rodd denying a $80,000 reward from Memphis Publishing Co. due to procedural issues. The House Select Committee on Assassinations reviewed missing serials in Los Angeles file 44-1574, which contained records related to the investigation. Medical testimony and photographic evidence were examined, raising questions about the circumstances of MLK’s death.  

Key People  
- Martin Luther King Jr. (subject of communist infiltration concerns)  
- James Earl Ray (indicted for MLK’s assassination; sued for defamation)  
- Percy Foreman (attorney representing Ray in 1968 indictment)  
- W. Henry Hall (state attorney involved in legal proceedings)  
- George McMillan (defendant in defamation case)  
- Hon. Robert M. McRae (judge presiding over appeals)  
- James H. Lesar (Ray’s attorney in 1976 legal actions)  
- Mark Lane (attorney representing Ray; claimed Ray sought trial to avoid conviction)  
- David Abernathy (medical examiner testifying about bullet trajectory)  
- Brahman Burke (expert discussing medical findings and bullet path analysis)  

Key Locations  
- Shelby County, Tennessee (jail where Ray was incarcerated; medical examiner’s office for MLK’s death investigation)  
- Nashville, Tennessee (Tennessee State Penitentiary)  
- Memphis, Tennessee (legal proceedings and FBI interactions)  
- New Orleans, Louisiana (address linked to MLK-related investigations)  
- Baton Rouge, Louisiana (telephone number associated with MLK inquiry)  
- Jefferson City, Missouri (Ray’s imprisonment prior to the assassination)  
- Los Angeles, California (FBI office involved in document reviews)  
- Washington, D.C. (House Select Committee on Assassinations)  

Key Events  
- 1963 FBI memorandum on communist infiltration of the Negro movement  
- 1968 indictment of James Earl Ray for MLK’s assassination  
- 1976 legal actions by Ray against TIME Inc. and others for defamation  
- Appeals and evidentiary hearings related to Ray’s guilty plea  
- Reward disputes over MLK’s murder: Memphis Publishing Co. offered $80,000 for information, but Ray was disqualified from receiving it  
- FBI document review: Missing serials in Los Angeles file 44-1574 were identified, affecting the assassination investigation records  
- Legal battles: Ray’s escape from prison and claims of seeking trial to avoid conviction for MLK’s murder  
- House Committee hearings: Examination of photographic evidence and medical testimony regarding the bullet trajectory in King’s body  

Key Organizations  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)  
- Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)  
- U.S. Department of Justice  
- Tennessee State Penitentiary  
- TIME Inc. (defendant in defamation case; alleged collusion in publishing libelous articles)  
- House Select Committee on Assassinations  
- Memphis Publishing Co. (offered reward for information about the murder)  
- Tennessee Department of Corrections  
- Shelby County Criminal Court

MLK Declassified Files

44-la-1574_742142_005-01-part_5_of_7.pdf

Document Summary

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