COINTELPRO, Black Nationalism, and SNCC, 1967-1968

By cover letter dated November 16, 1979, civil rights historian Clayborne Carson forwarded copies of FBI reports to James Forman at Forman’s request. The files are unbound and personally ink-stamped by Carson, indicating the files’ origin. The files are related to the Bureau’s “COINTELPRO” investigations into “Black Nationalist – Hate Groups / Internal Security,” which include information on the activities of SNCC. The files reference numerous FBI attempts to undermine the credibility of the black power movement through fabricated propaganda, “a counterintelligence maneuver aimed at exploiting the factionalism existing in the Black Panther Party (BPP).” There's also a 1967 FBI report on on SNCC (it's unclear if this came from Carson or if Forman obtained it separately).