Summary
The U.S. government released over 230,000 pages of files related to Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination, as part of President Trump's executive order to declassify documents about historical assassinations. The files, previously sealed since 1977, cover King's murder in 1968 and were shared with his family in advance.
Key Facts
- President Trump's administration released over 230,000 pages of documents about Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination.
- The release is part of an executive order for transparency about historical assassination cases, including those of John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy.
- The documents were sealed by a court since 1977 and were held by the National Archives.
- James Earl Ray was convicted of King's murder; however, King's children have publicly questioned his role.
- Martin Luther King Jr.'s children were informed before the public release and reviewed the files with their own teams.
- King's children called attention to their father's targeting by the FBI, which tried to undermine his reputation and the civil rights movement.
- The release follows earlier document releases related to the Kennedy assassinations.
- It is not clear if the new files provide additional insights into King's life, the civil rights movement, or his murder.
