MLK Files Released: What’s Inside the 240,000 Pages?

In one of the largest declassifications in recent history, the U.S. government has released more than 240,000 pages of documents related to the 1968 assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The files, posted on the National Archives website, include FBI surveillance reports, wiretaps, memos, and COINTELPRO records that reveal the extent of federal monitoring of King during the civil rights era.

The release follows a broader push for transparency regarding high-profile assassinations, including those of John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy. While James Earl Ray was convicted for the killing, a 1999 civil court ruling concluded King was the victim of a wider conspiracy involving unnamed government agencies.

King’s family welcomed the release but urged the public to approach the documents with empathy and historical awareness. They also warned against using the files to distort or harm King’s legacy.

The release comes at a time of renewed interest in civil rights history and government accountability.