Political & Historical Figures1956–1968
Martin Luther King Jr.
One of the most extensive FBI surveillance campaigns ever conducted against an American citizen.
InvestigatedRead the guide
Category
FBI Files on Political & Historical Figures
Browse plain-English guides to public records involving political leaders, activists, historical figures, and people whose files reveal major moments in American history, surveillance, civil rights, intelligence, and public controversy.
4 files
Political & Historical Figures1932–1955
Albert Einstein
The FBI compiled a 1,427-page file on Einstein, suspecting him of Communist sympathies and possible espionage.
InvestigatedRead the guide
Political & Historical Figures1940s–1963
John F. Kennedy
Unlike most figures here, Kennedy does not have a standalone FBI Vault profile page. The primary public records are the JFK Assassination Records Collection at the National Archives, alongside FBI investigative materials from before and after his presidency.
InvestigatedRead the guide
Political & Historical Figures1920s–1960s
Helen Keller
The FBI tracked Keller because of her socialist politics, support for birth control, and co-founding of the ACLU.
InvestigatedRead the guide
How to read these files
FBI files and public records may include verified facts, allegations, third-party claims, redactions, press clippings, public complaints, surveillance notes, or correspondence. A file does not always mean the person was investigated or accused of wrongdoing.
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