COINTELPRO: The Government's War on Black Progress
The FBI's Counter Intelligence Program was a coordinated federal campaign to destroy Black organizations and assassinate leaders.
Program Objectives
COINTELPRO, operating from 1956 to 1971, was designed to 'disrupt, misdirect, discredit, and neutralize' Black organizations. FBI internal documents reveal explicit objectives: prevent the rise of a 'messiah' who could unify the movement, prevent growth of militant organizations especially among youth, and destroy organizational credibility.
Tactics included placing informants and provocateurs within organizations, spreading false information about leaders, creating internal conflicts, false arrests on fabricated charges, destroying businesses and funding sources, and direct physical violence against leadership.
Assassination of Leadership
Fred Hampton, Chicago Black Panther leader, was drugged by an FBI informant and killed while sleeping in a 1969 raid after the informant provided his apartment layout. Malcolm X was assassinated in 1965 with evidence suggesting FBI involvement. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968 — a family civil trial concluded government agencies were involved.
Geronimo Pratt was imprisoned for 27 years on fabricated murder charges. Angela Davis was targeted for imprisonment on false charges. The systematic elimination of FBA leadership through assassination, false imprisonment, and character destruction represents an unprecedented campaign against American citizens.
Destruction of Community Programs
COINTELPRO specifically targeted successful community programs. The Black Panther Party's Free Breakfast Program served thousands of children daily — it was later adopted by the federal government. Free health clinics provided medical care in underserved communities. Educational programs offered tutoring and political education for youth.
The FBI sabotaged these programs through false health department violations, raids during operations, pressure on suppliers and landlords, and media campaigns portraying programs as fronts for illegal activity. This destroyed models for community self-sufficiency and eliminated alternatives to government dependency.