Over 240,000 FBI pages on Martin Luther King Jr. have been made public.
The Trump administration has unveiled more than 240,000 FBI documents connected to the surveillance of civil rights legend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This move has stirred public debate, as the release was made against the wishes of the King family and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), which Dr. King helped create.
The files had been kept under court seal since 1977. They were handed to the National Archives, digitised, and are now available to the public. The documents contain details about King’s political engagement, government surveillance, and investigations following his 1968 assassination.
Martin Luther King III and his sister Dr. Bernice King spoke on behalf of the family, expressing deep sadness over the release.
“Our father’s death remains a private wound, even after 57 years,” they said. “We ask the public to treat this information with compassion and dignity.”
Their message emphasised that while the documents may offer insight, they are also a painful reminder of the ongoing loss their family continues to bear.
The newly shared records reportedly shed light on how the FBI and CIA grew uneasy as King expanded his activism beyond civil rights into global anti-poverty and anti-war movements.
The files also describe how the FBI, under Director J. Edgar Hoover, labelled King a national threat, which led to round-the-clock monitoring and controversial tactics, such as wiretaps and secret recordings.
Reverend Al Sharpton criticised the move, calling it a diversion meant to pull attention away from serious accusations against Trump, including ties to the Jeffrey Epstein case.
“This isn’t about truth. It’s a smokescreen,” he said.
The files were released under an executive order from Trump that also pushed for declassifying documents linked to the Kennedy assassinations. The JFK files were released earlier, and some information on Robert F. Kennedy followed.
Trump supporters, including Dr. King’s niece Alveda King, praised the release. Alveda called it a step forward for government openness.
Tulsi Gabbard, serving as Director of National Intelligence, also hailed the release, calling it “a major act of transparency.”
However, the King family stood firm on their doubts about the official version of the assassination. James Earl Ray, who was convicted of the killing, later claimed innocence. A 1999 civil court ruling even found there had been a conspiracy.
“We have never accepted the official story,” the family said. “We will review these new files and see if they add anything new to our findings.”
Civil rights groups voiced concern over how the FBI treated King during his life. The files confirm past fears showing how authorities used tools like disinformation, hidden surveillance, and psychological pressure.
“These weren’t just invasions; they were attacks on truth,” the King children said, pointing to the infamous COINTELPRO project.
The King Centre, led by Dr. Bernice King, called the release poorly timed and unnecessary. The SCLC also condemned the decision, accusing the FBI of using unethical tactics to undermine civil rights work.
Although historians may use the documents for study, the King family urged that their father’s life and work be treated with honour.
“We believe in truth and transparency,” they concluded. “But twisting these files to harm our father’s image is something we strongly oppose.”
