</s>(The FBI shall) carry out the Presidential directive of September 6, 1939, as reaffirmed by Presidential directives of January 8, 1943, July 24, 1950 and December 15, 1953, designing the Federal Bureau of Investigation to take the federal bureau of investigation to relating to espionage, sabotage, subversive activities, and related matters (28 CFR 0.85 (0). Given this charter of the history of the sometimes overpowering influence of the views of the late Director J. Edgar Hoover on his subordinates and on successive Attorneys General, it was understandable that a security investigation should be initiated into the possible influence of the Communist Party, U.S.A ., on Dr. Martin. Luther King, Jr. Two of King's close advisors, at the outset of the security matter, were reported to be Communist Party members by sources relied upon by the Bureau. The security investigation continued for almost six years until Dr. King's death. It verified, in our view, that one alleged Communist was a very influential advisor to Dr.King (and hence the Southern Christian Leadership Conference) on the strategy and tactics of King's leadership of the black civil rights movement of the early and mid-sixties. Another had no such weight although he seemed to be of use to King. But this very lengthy investigative concentration on King and on -140- 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The document outlines a federal security investigation into Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s alleged communist affiliations, initiated by the FBI under directives from 1939–1953. Two of King’s advisors were identified as Communist Party members, prompting a six-year surveillance effort that concluded King posed no threat to national security. The investigation persisted after his assassination in 1968, with the FBI employing COINTELPRO tactics deemed unlawful under 18 U.S.C. 241/242. Internal memos from 1963 reference FBI surveillance of Communist Party USA (CPUSA) activities targeting African American communities, noting King’s associations with socialist groups and his role in civil rights movements. Financial records detail transactions linked to James Earl Ray, including expenditures in Birmingham, Memphis, Atlanta, and Toronto, as well as purchases such as a rifle in Birmingham on March 27, 1968. The report criticizes the FBI for racial bias in staffing, administrative failures, and lack of oversight, recommending stricter DOJ control, legislative reforms to restrict COINTELPRO, and improved transparency.  

Key People  
- **Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.**: Subject of the security investigation; advocated non-violence and civil rights.  
- **James Earl Ray**: Suspected assassin of King; financial records detail his expenditures around the time of the assassination.  
- **J. Edgar Hoover**: Former FBI Director; influenced Bureau’s investigative strategies and COINTELPRO operations.  
- **Mr. W. C. Sullivan**: FBI agent involved in surveillance activities.  
- **Mr. F. J. Baumgartner**: FBI official referenced in internal memos.  
- **Mr. A. H. Belmont**: Government official mentioned in discussions about counterintelligence.  
- **James Barl RAY Krown** (possibly a suspect or informant; name appears redacted or unclear).  

Key Locations  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Site of King’s assassination at the Lorraine Motel.  
- **Birmingham, Alabama**: Location of rifle purchase and financial transactions.  
- **Atlanta, Georgia**: Associated with King’s activities and movements.  
- **Washington, D.C.**: Headquarters for federal agencies involved in surveillance.  
- **Toronto, Canada**: Mentioned in financial records tied to James Earl Ray.  
- **National Archives**: Proposed repository for sealed FBI surveillance materials.  

Key Events  
- **1968 Assassination of Dr. King**: Investigated by the FBI with technical surveillance and COINTELPRO tactics.  
- **COINTELPRO Activities**: Illicit surveillance, dissemination of investigative data, and efforts to discredit or intimidate King.  
- **Security Investigation (1950s–1968)**: Spanned six years, concluding King posed no threat to national security.  
- **Autopsy of Dr. King**: Identified gunshot wounds to the neck, spinal cord injury, and internal bleeding as causes of death.  
- **FBI Surveillance of CPUSA (1963)**: Internal memos discuss monitoring communist infiltration into African American communities, referencing MLK’s associations with socialist groups.  
- **March on Washington (1963)**: Noted as a potential communist recruitment opportunity in internal FBI discussions.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted surveillance and investigations; criticized for overreach and lack of oversight.  
- **Department of Justice**: Oversaw FBI operations but failed to enforce adequate supervision.  
- **Communist Party USA (CPUSA)**: Target of FBI surveillance for alleged infiltration into civil rights movements.  
- **Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)**: Organization associated with MLK’s civil rights advocacy.  
- **Socialist Workers Party**: Mentioned in internal memos as a group linked to MLK’s associations.  
- **National Archives**: Proposed repository for sealed FBI records.  
- **Senate Select Committee on Intelligence**: Recommended as a legislative oversight body for FBI activities.

MLK Declassified Files

62-hq-115768_sec_000_ser_262-part_4_of_5.pdf

Document Summary

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