{
  "id": 17068205,
  "title": "Read the letter the FBI sent MLK to try to convince him to kill himself (2014)",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/29/read-the-letter-the-fbi-sent-mlk-to-try-to-convince-him-to-kill",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-10-29T13:40:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hacker News",
    "slug": "hacker-news",
    "url": "https://www.vox.com/xpress/2014/11/12/7204453/martin-luther-king-fbi-letter"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In November 2014, Yale historian Beverly Gage published an unredacted version of a letter sent by the FBI to the home of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The letter was in response to a package of King's sex tapes, which had been prepared by FBI lab technicians. The letter, released by journalist Tim Weiner in his book \"Enemies,\" urged King to take his own life. FBI Domestic Intelligence Chief William Sullivan had described King as \"the most dangerous Negro of the future in this Nation from the standpoint of communism, the Negro and national security.\" The letter contained threats and accusations of King's immoral behavior, stating that his awards and recognition would not save him from his \"evil, abnormal beast\" status. Despite the letter's unsigned nature and the implication that King was a fraud, King and his advisers believed it was from the FBI. Fortunately, King did not succumb to the letter's demands.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "FBI sent 2014 letter to MLK's home urging suicide",
    "Letter described King as \"most dangerous Negro\" for communism",
    "MLK and advisers believed letter was from FBI"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}