The U.S. government has declassified over 240,000 pages of documents related to the 1968 assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., releasing them nearly two years ahead of schedule and against the wishes of the King family and civil rights groups.
The files include FBI records from the “MURKIN” investigation, CIA documents linked to the John F. Kennedy case, and State Department papers on James Earl Ray’s extradition. The National Archives managed the release with help from other federal agencies. Some content is still blacked out due to legal restrictions under the Freedom of Information Act.
The early release was ordered by President Donald Trump, who said the public deserves access to key historical records involving national figures.
King’s children, Martin Luther King III and Bernice King, reviewed the files in advance. They asked the public to read the material with sensitivity, citing the lasting pain the assassination caused their family.
The family has long disputed the official account, pointing to a 1999 civil trial where a Memphis jury found that King was killed as part of a larger conspiracy. Ray, who initially pleaded guilty, later claimed he was not responsible and died maintaining his innocence.
Researchers are now analyzing the files for evidence about the FBI’s role. Critics say the bureau investigated King’s death while also conducting surveillance and smear efforts against him during his life. Ryan Jones of the National Civil Rights Museum said the release may reveal that the FBI ignored credible threats.
Co-founded by King, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference spoke out against the release, cautioning that it could be misinterpreted and pose risks to individual privacy.
