|
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.