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 U.S. Department of Justice

Federal Bureau of Investigation


 For Immediate Release    Washington, D.C.
 November 30, 1999    FBI National Press Office

 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation announced today that it has added the following new subject matters to the Historical Interest, Famous Persons, and Violent Crime categories of its Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Electronic Reading Room:

ESPIONAGE


Tokyo Rose -- 738 pages

1948 Espionage investigation of "Tokyo Rose", World War II radio personality whose program the "Zero Hour" broadcast Japanese propaganda to Allied troops.


HISTORICAL INTEREST


Martin Luther King, Jr. -- 221 pages

1977 report by the Department of Justice Task Force summarizing the FBI's Martin Luther King, Jr., security and assassination investigations.

Highlander Folk School -- 1107 pages

A school located in Monteagle, TN, founded by Don West, District Director of the Communist Party in North Carolina, and Miles Norton, Director of the Commonwealth College. Based upon testimony by members of the school, the school was cited for conducting subversive activities, by the state of Tennessee, and closed by court order in 1960.

Sacco/Vanzetti Case -- 2189 pages

Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were convicted of murdering two men during a robbery attempt in South Braintree, MA on April 15, 1920. The two were sentenced to death and electrocuted on August 23, 1927. Many people believed these men were wrongly convicted and demonstrations were staged protesting their convictions. The FBI became involved with this case when it came to its attention that these groups were making plans to take action against U.S. government officials in order to influence state officials to overturn the convictions of Sacco and Vanzetti.

Walter G. Krivitsky -- 570 pages

General Walter G. Krivitsky was found dead in the Bellevue Hotel in Washington, D.C. on February 10, 1941. Krivitsky was the former head of the Soviet Military Intelligence in Western Europe. Although his death was declared a suicide, some people were suspicious that the Soviets may have murdered him. No information was ever uncovered to prove his death was anything other than suicide.

FAMOUS PERSONS



John L. Lewis -- 2815 pages

John L. Lewis, leader of the United Mine Workers of America, along with three other mine officials, was investigated on charges of violating Section 51 of Title 18 of the United States Code. They were accused of conspiring to oppress and injure the workers from Mine "B" in Springfield, IL, from exercising their rights secured to them by the National Labor Relations Act. After a full investigation by the FBI, the Department of Justice decided not to prosecute the case and it was closed in 1943.

Huey Long -- 1818 pages

Miscellaneous files concerning the activities and associates of Louisiana Senator Huey "Kingfish" Long who was assassinated in 1935.

Joseph P. Kennedy -- 1011 pages

Joseph P. Kennedy, former United States Ambassador to Great Britain, was the subject of an FBI background investigation in 1956 in connection with a Presidential appointment. FBI records indicate cordial correspondence between Kennedy and former FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover.


Charles Lindbergh -- 1368 pages

Many citizens wrote to FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, indicating their mistrust of Lindbergh and questioning his loyalty to the United States. This file consists of the letters sent to the Director, and various newspaper articles that were written about Charles Lindbergh. Charles Lindbergh died on August 26, 1973.

Malcolm X -- 4065 pages

Malcolm X was the Minister of the Nation of Islam until March of 1965 when he left this group and formed the Muslim Mosque, Inc. and the Organization of Afro-American Unity. Malcolm X was assassinated in 1965 while delivering a speech in New York City. Norman Butler, Thomas Johnson, and Talmage Hayer were convicted of his murder and sentenced to life in prison. The FBI investigated the groups that Malcolm X was affiliated with due to allegations of communist influence.

VIOLENT CRIME


Osage Indian Murders -- 3274 pages

Between 1921-1923 several members of the Osage Indian Reservation died under suspicious circumstances. The FBI became involved in this case when the Department of Interior wrote to Director Burns asking for assistance in investigating these deaths. William "King of Osage" Hale was suspected of being involved in these deaths. Posing as medicine men, cattlemen, and salesman, FBI agents infiltrated the reservation and eventually solved the murders. Hale and other members of the Osage Indian reservation were convicted of the murders and sentenced to life in prison. The murders were committed in an apparent attempt to collect insurance money and gain control of valuable oil properties owned by the deceased persons.

Viola Liuzzo Murder -- 1520 pages

Viola Liuzzo was a civil rights worker who came to Alabama to help with voter registration. She was murdered in 1965 en route to a civil rights meeting. Her murder was allegedly committed by KKK members Eugene Thomas, Collie Leroy Wilkins, Jr. and William Orville Eaton. Thomas and Wilkins were found not guilty of first degree murder in state court. However, all three suspects were found guilty of civil rights violations in U.S. District Court in Montgomery, AL, and sentenced to 10 years in a federal prison. Eaton died on March 9, 1966, from natural causes, before serving his sentence .


There are now a total of 80 subject matters available to the public on this website. These documents are a representative sampling of those in the FOIA Reading Room located at FBI Headquarters. Portions have been blacked out to protect personal privacy, confidential sources, national security, etc., in accordance with the exemption provisions of the FOIA. The FBI plans to add several new subjects to the Electronic Reading Room on a monthly basis.

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Freedom of Information Act Reading Room




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