A treasure trove of documents related to Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination has been made public by the Trump administration after a prolonged legal battle, sparking mixed reactions from King's family and critics alike.
**Trump Administration Unveils Martin Luther King Jr. Assassination Files After Decades of Secrecy**

**Trump Administration Unveils Martin Luther King Jr. Assassination Files After Decades of Secrecy**
The release includes FBI surveillance files and insights into a controversial past that shaped civil rights history.
The Trump administration has unveiled a significant collection of files related to Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination, marking the first time in decades that these documents are accessible to the public. Under the mandate of a court order, around 230,000 pages of FBI surveillance and CIA records that remained classified since 1977 are now available for scrutiny. This release comes at the request of President Donald Trump, who seeks to promote government transparency, although members of King's family and civil rights advocates have expressed concern over potential misinterpretations of their father's legacy.
King, a prominent leader in the civil rights movement, was assassinated on April 4, 1968, at the age of 39. While James Earl Ray was convicted in connection with the murder, the family's statement emphasized their belief that there was a broader conspiracy at play, supported by a 1999 jury verdict. Martin Luther King III and sister Bernice King have urged those engaging with the newly released files to approach them with caution and understanding, as they continue to grieve their father's loss.
Despite the family's apprehensions, not all reactions have been negative. Alveda King, a niece of King Jr., expressed gratitude to President Trump for advancing transparency in this matter, while others, like civil rights leader Al Sharpton, characterized the release as a diversion from ongoing controversies surrounding the Trump administration, particularly related to Jeffrey Epstein's case. As this new chapter of historical context opens, advocates for justice and transparency are closely examining the implications of this extensive archive.