Never Before Released JFK Assassination Records Opened to the Public
Press Release · Friday, November 3, 2017

Washington, DC

553 Newly Released CIA Documents Posted

In the third public release this year, the National Archives today posted 676 records subject to the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (JFK Act).

Last week, President Donald J. Trump ordered all remaining records governed by section 5 of the JFK Act be released to the public.  The President also directed agencies to complete another review of their proposed redactions and only redact information in the rarest of circumstances.  The release by the National Archives today represents the first in a series of rolling releases pursuant to the President’s memorandum based on prior reviews done by agencies.  The records included in this public release have not been reviewed by NARA.

The National Archives anticipates several additional public releases making all remaining records governed by section 5 available to the public as expeditiously as possible in accordance with the President’s order.  Each of these approximately 29,000 records, along with each of the records released today, remain subject to further review under that process.

The majority of the public release today consists of 553 Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) records that were previously denied in their entirety.  Also included in the release are records from components of the Departments of Justice (18) and Defense (48), the House Select Committee on Assassinations (56), and the National Archives (1).  Released records are available for download.

The National Archives released 2,891 documents on Oct. 26 and 3,810 records on July 24.

The National Archives established the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection in November 1992, and it consists of approximately five million pages of records. The vast majority of the collection has been publicly available without any restrictions since the late 1990s. 

Online Resources:
The President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection
Documenting the Death of a President
JFK Assassination Records Review Board
The work of the Kennedy Assassination Records Collection
JFK Assassination Records FAQs
Warren Commission Report