The Trump administration has declassified and released over 230,000 pages of documents related to the 1968 assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., sparking a mix of anticipation and concern among historians and the civil rights leader’s family.
The files, which are now publicly available with minimal redactions, are part of a broader transparency initiative that also includes the declassification of documents related to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and Senator Robert F. Kennedy. President Donald Trump had signed an executive order shortly after taking office to release previously classified information tied to these pivotal events in American history.
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard stated, “The American people have waited nearly sixty years to see the full scope of the federal government’s investigation into Dr. King’s assassination. We are ensuring that no stone is left unturned in our mission to deliver complete transparency.”
Dr. King was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. James Earl Ray pleaded guilty to the murder and was sentenced to 99 years in prison, but doubts have long persisted about whether he acted alone or was part of a larger conspiracy. King’s surviving children Martin Luther King III and Bernice King welcomed transparency but voiced deep concern that the documents could reignite damaging narratives.
In a joint statement, they acknowledged the importance of public accountability but warned the records might be weaponized. “Our father was the target of an invasive, predatory, and deeply disturbing disinformation and surveillance campaign by the FBI under J. Edgar Hoover,” they said. “These actions were not only invasions of privacy, but intentional assaults on the truth.”
The files could shed new light on that surveillance campaign, revealing the extent of federal efforts to undermine Dr. King and the broader Civil Rights Movement. Historians hope the release will clarify longstanding questions, while the King family urges respectful and empathetic engagement with the sensitive material.
The National Archives had previously released records on the Kennedy assassinations in March and April, continuing a pattern of gradual disclosure. Nonetheless, questions and conspiracy theories continue to swirl around all three assassinations, leaving the American public to interpret the newly released files with caution and care.
