The images of Martin Luther King Jr. released last week from the New York City Municipal Archives reveal a darker side to the civil rights leader's visit to New York in December 1964, just one week after he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. While they show King and his entourage in public celebrations, the photographs also suggest that the NYPD had a far less flattering impression of him.
The images were published for the first time as part of Joshua Clark Davis's new book "Police Against the Movement." They reveal that police had been surveilling King long before FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover publicly denounced him as a liar in November 1964.
In fact, NYPD surveillance records show that they had been monitoring King since his visit to Harlem in 1958, with additional memos following in the early 1960s. Rank-and-file organizers supporting King were also monitored by the police.
The NYPD's actions are a stark reminder of the extent to which law enforcement agencies have historically targeted civil rights activists. The agency deployed the weaponry of deception and disruption in hopes of crippling the movement, as seen in the case of activist Herb Callender who was coaxed into performing a citizens' arrest on Mayor Robert F. Wagner Jr. at City Hall.
The revelation also highlights how police agencies continue to deploy surveillance tactics against social movements today. The Intercept notes that local police surveilled racial justice activists disparaged by President Donald Trump, further illustrating the persistence of this problematic practice.
Words matter; when federal authorities attack protesters with insults and slander, it telegraphs to law enforcement agents that they would be mistaken not to monitor and probe activists. These tactics lay the foundation for harassment by public officials and in some cases result in criminal proceedings.
Time will tell which actions the federal government will take against activists who have recently been branded as terrorists, but the impact of the president's words should not be underestimated. As The Intercept author noted, "the untruthful words of a president... have real-life consequences for the activists on the receiving end."
The images were published for the first time as part of Joshua Clark Davis's new book "Police Against the Movement." They reveal that police had been surveilling King long before FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover publicly denounced him as a liar in November 1964.
In fact, NYPD surveillance records show that they had been monitoring King since his visit to Harlem in 1958, with additional memos following in the early 1960s. Rank-and-file organizers supporting King were also monitored by the police.
The NYPD's actions are a stark reminder of the extent to which law enforcement agencies have historically targeted civil rights activists. The agency deployed the weaponry of deception and disruption in hopes of crippling the movement, as seen in the case of activist Herb Callender who was coaxed into performing a citizens' arrest on Mayor Robert F. Wagner Jr. at City Hall.
The revelation also highlights how police agencies continue to deploy surveillance tactics against social movements today. The Intercept notes that local police surveilled racial justice activists disparaged by President Donald Trump, further illustrating the persistence of this problematic practice.
Words matter; when federal authorities attack protesters with insults and slander, it telegraphs to law enforcement agents that they would be mistaken not to monitor and probe activists. These tactics lay the foundation for harassment by public officials and in some cases result in criminal proceedings.
Time will tell which actions the federal government will take against activists who have recently been branded as terrorists, but the impact of the president's words should not be underestimated. As The Intercept author noted, "the untruthful words of a president... have real-life consequences for the activists on the receiving end."
just another example of how law enforcement has always been against civil rights activists it's wild to think they were surveilling MLK since 1958 what was their plan? 
and now we see police deploying surveillance tactics today too, it's like they're trying to stop progress in any way they can these images from the 60s are proof that racism is still alive and well 
we need more awareness about this stuff so we can create change and move forward as a society
It's like, you gotta wonder what would've happened if they didn't find out about it? Would the civil rights movement have been even stronger? 
And now, with all these stories coming out about police surveillance on activists today... it just feels like the same playbook is being played over and over. 
Like, words really do matter and we gotta be super careful about what we say and how we act. 
We can't forget that it was also a time when protests and civil unrest were becoming more common. The police might've been doing their job, not necessarily targeting King or his movement for personal gain. 
It's not like we're seeing a pattern of systemic oppression here... maybe just one incident where the police might've overstepped? 
. And the fact that they were monitoring his orgs too? That's just crazy talk 
. You gotta wonder what kinda pressure was coming down from Hoover to get the NYPD to start snooping around... all this just feels like a big ol' mess 
. Anyway, I'm not surprised police agencies still do this stuff - it's like they think activists are always good for a headline or something 
. But at the same time, it's pretty clear that they were keepin' tabs on him 'cause they didn't like his message 
. I mean, if you're gonna watch someone's every move just 'cause of what they say, doesn't that kinda sound... problematic? 
Or am I just bein' too generous and forgettin' all about how these surveillance tactics have been used against innocent people? 
and it's crazy how they've been doing this for years still 
anyway i'm just glad we're talking about this stuff now maybe it'll inspire some real change 
. police surveillance and harassment against activists is so not okay and we need to call out our leaders when they use their power to silence marginalized voices 
... meanwhile, we got activists gettin monitored today too by local police. its like, word matters when the president's mouth is spewin hate speech 
. Its heartbreaking to see all the people who were being surveilled just for speaking out against injustice 
. We gotta remember that our words matter, and not just when they're used by politicians to attack others, but also when we use them to uplift each other 
! It's like they thought he was going to cause some chaos in the Big Apple 
️. The fact that they monitored King and his supporters, including activists like Herb Callender, shows just how far law enforcement will go to silence dissenting voices 
. It's like the phrase "when you play with fire, you get burned" is true 
. The power of words should never be underestimated - when leaders use insults and slander to attack protesters, they're sending a clear message that dissent will be punished 
. These images from the 60s may seem like ancient history, but they serve as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for social justice and equality 
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. It's wild to think that even back then, the NYPD was keeping an eye on him, long before Hoover said some pretty harsh stuff about him. It just goes to show how law enforcement has always been super suspicious of activists who want to make a change.
, targeting activists for their words and actions. It's not right, you know? When the government attacks protesters with lies and insults, it just encourages more surveillance and harassment from law enforcement.
, but when someone in power is sayin' some super untruthful stuff about activists, it can have real-life consequences. We gotta be careful with our words 'cause they matter 
.
? it's like they're trying to recreate those same dirty tactics in modern times. but what really got me was how the police were already keeping tabs on king back in '58, before even hoover started making a fuss about him. that's some serious level of paranoia and mistrust right there 
. we need to remember how our leaders speak can have a lasting impact on the people they're supposed to protect 
thinking about how much history was hidden from us 
and it's not just the past that's the problem, it's still happening today