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Cointelpro

This collection contains material on the FBI program COINTELPRO (Counterintelligence Program). This program served to disrupt, destroy and infiltrate many progressive organizations during the 60's-70's in the U.S. This existence of the program was discovered and made public after a break-in at FBI offices in Media, Pennsylvania. The anti-war sympathizers had intended to destroy draft records but when they found evidence of a larger web of government repression, they kept the information and released it to the public. This sparked public outrage and resulted in Congress convening the Church Committee to investigate. While no government officials were ever held criminally accountable for the program and the subsequent frame-ups, assassinations and arrests, a number of civil suits were filed. The vast majority of our materials are drawn from two organizations, The Committee for the Suit Against Government Misconduct and The National Taskforce for COINTELPRO Litigation and Research. Both of these organizations organized around those imprisoned by COINTELPRO and distributed information about the program and its lasting effects on movements for national liberation.

The National Taskforce for COINTELPRO Litigation and Research lead the struggle to expose COINTELPRO attacks on the Black Liberation struggle. By educating and organizing, and by coordinating law suits filed by Assata Shakur, the Republic of New Afrika 11 and others, the Task Force is worked to expose the depths of government attacks and to free some of its major targets.

The Committee for the Suit Against Government Misconduct worked under the leadership of National Task Force for COINTELPRO Litigation and Research as part of the growing movement against government counterintelligence. Members of the Committee are plaintiffs in Clark v. USA, a major civil law suit against the FBI, Justice Department, Richard Nixon, John Mitchell and others. The plaintiffs have been named as targets of illegal activities for which ex-FBI officials have been convicted on criminal charges.

Documents

National Task Force for Cointelpro Litigation and Research National Task Force for Cointelpro Litigation and Research
Publisher: National Task Force for COINTELPRO Litigation & ResearchYear: 1978Format: StatementCollection: Cointelpro
Statement with background information about COINTELPRO and the goals of the National Task Force for Cointelpro Litigation and Research
Form Letter to Judge Kathleen Parker Form Letter to Judge Kathleen Parker
Publisher: National Task Force for COINTELPRO Litigation & ResearchDate: 1/1980Volume Number: JanuaryFormat: CorrespondenceCollection: Cointelpro
Form letter urging Judge Kathleen Parker to release Geronimo Pratt from prison
United States Government Conspiracy Against Malcolm X and the Black Community United States Government Conspiracy Against Malcolm X and the Black Community
Publisher: National Task Force for COINTELPRO Litigation & ResearchYear: 1978Format: FlyerCollection: Cointelpro
13th anniversary event of the assasination of Malcolm X. Information about his significance and the event to commemorate his death.