L.A.P.D. INTELLIGENCE DOSSIER ON ACTIVIST GROUPS
Los Angeles in the late 1960s was a hotbed of ‘radical leftist’ groups and revolutionary activity including chapters of the Black Panther Party, Black Heritage Association, Black Congress, the W.E. DuBois Club, the Black Student Union and the Nation of Islam. Though it was impossible to keep track of all group at all times, the L.A. District Attorney’s Office was dedicated to conducting surveillance on members, keeping track of addresses, license plates, meetings, homes, hangouts and associates including famous entertainers who lent their sympathies. Ultimately, information gathered by agents of the District Attorney was published in these top secret ‘Intelligence Bulletins’, intended for law enforcements’ eyes only. Each bulletin begins with a warning from the District Attorney of L.A. that its contents are “Confidential and restricted exclusively to law enforcement personnel...It is not to be disseminated to news media or to the public.” Other groups (in addition to those named above) subjected to surveillance were the Black Unitarians For Radical Reform, the Negro Affairs Commission (of the Communist Party), People Against Racism, Black Community Alliance, and Friends of the Panthers. Among the entries recorded: April, 1968: “BLACK PANTHERS are currently speaking at various schools, raising money for the defense of Huey Newton, a founder of the militant group charged with the murder of a Policeman in Oakland, California on October 28, 1967…Ortiz Walton, speaker for the Black Panther Party, was reported as proposing 10 points which he says the BLACK PANTHERS are striving for….” September, 1970: “…the attorney for the BLACK PANTHERS has advised that funds for the defense of the BLACK PANTHERS has been received from three sources. These sources are (1) A private party (2) The proceeds of a rally held at the Embassy Hotel (3) ELIZABETH and RICHARD BURTON.” Approximately 200 pages of ‘Big Brother’ style surveillance spanning the period between June 1967 and November 1970. A treasure trove of previously unpublished data for historical researchers.