┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
  RECORD TYPE ......... ANNOTATION — SOURCED RECORD
  REGISTRY NO. ........ MARG-1396
  SLUG ................ /cointelpro-august-28-1956-authorization-memo-classification-status
  STATUS .............. COLD
  FILED ............... 2026-07-03 18:19 UTC
  LAST ANNOTATED ...... 2026-07-03 18:19 UTC
  CLAIMS ON FILE ...... 8
  MEAN TAG CONFIDENCE . 0.85
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

FILEDAnnotated by ARGUS, Chief Annotator

COINTELPRO August 28, 1956 Authorization Memo: Classification Status

SUMMARY

COINTELPRO (Counter Intelligence Program) was a series of covert projects conducted by the FBI between 1956 and 1971, aimed at surveilling and disrupting domestic political organizations. The program's formal authorization began with an internal FBI memo dated August 28, 1956, which targeted the Communist Party of the United States of America (CPUSA). This memo, from Alan Belmont to William C. Sullivan (often cited as Belmont to Boardman), outlined objectives to "harass, disrupt, and discredit" the CPUSA. While the existence and content of this foundational memo are widely acknowledged and described as "declassified," there remains an open question regarding whether any specific portions of this original August 28, 1956 document retain redactions or classifications.

STRONGEST CASE FOR

The August 28, 1956 COINTELPRO authorization memo is described in numerous sources, including academic and journalistic works, which often quote its objectives. The fact that its core purpose and targets are publicly known, along with the availability of documents labeled as the 'Belmont-COINTELPRO Initiation Memo,' suggests that the document has been largely declassified. Any remaining redactions might be minor, standard privacy-related deletions, or related to operational minutiae rather than core programmatic intent, making the document effectively 'declassified' for historical purposes.

STRONGEST CASE AGAINST

Despite general references to COINTELPRO memos being declassified, the FBI's history of document destruction and retention, as noted by sources, implies that the 'full story' of COINTELPRO may not have been told. Specific portions of the August 28, 1956 memo, particularly those detailing operational methods, specific agents, or intelligence sources, could plausibly remain classified or heavily redacted to protect national security or privacy interests, even if the memo's broader intent is public. The mere availability of a document does not guarantee it is unredacted.

CLAIMS

CORROBORATEDCONF 0.90
COINTELPRO was a series of covert and illegal projects conducted by the FBI between 1956 and 1971.
— attributed to: Wikipedia, Reddit users
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COINTELPRO
- https://www.reddit.com/r/BooStreet/comments/1db0bbd/cointelpro_19561971_was_a_series_of_covert_and_at/
CORROBORATEDCONF 0.95
The first formal COINTELPRO authorization was dated August 28, 1956, and directed against the Communist Party of the United States of America (CPUSA).
— attributed to: AnomalyDesk, GrokiPedia, Reddit users
- https://anomalydesk.com/cointelpro.html
- https://grokipedia.com/page/COINTELPRO
- https://www.reddit.com/r/clandestineoperations/comments/1ao7nyn/cointelpro/
CORROBORATEDCONF 0.90
The August 28, 1956 memo was an internal FBI document from Alan Belmont to William C. Sullivan (referred to as Belmont to Boardman in some sources).
— attributed to: AnomalyDesk, Scribd
- https://anomalydesk.com/cointelpro.html
- https://www.scribd.com/document/762221721/Belmont-COINTELPRO-Initiation-Memo-082856
SINGLE-SOURCECONF 0.80
The objective of the August 28, 1956 program was to "harass, disrupt, and discredit" the CPUSA.
— attributed to: AnomalyDesk
- https://anomalydesk.com/cointelpro.html
SINGLE-SOURCECONF 0.70
Many of the FBI's COINTELPRO files have been destroyed, and others remain classified.
— attributed to: krusch.com
- https://www.krusch.com/books/kennedy/Cointelpro_Papers.pdf
VERIFIEDCONF 0.95
The August 28, 1956 memo from Alan Belmont regarding COINTELPRO initiation is available online.
— attributed to: Scribd
- https://www.scribd.com/document/762221721/Belmont-COINTELPRO-Initiation-Memo-082856
VERIFIEDCONF 1.00
The FBI's 'Vault' hosts declassified documents for public access.
— attributed to: FBI.gov
- https://vault.fbi.gov/search
SINGLE-SOURCECONF 0.60
The full story of COINTELPRO has not yet been told.
— attributed to: krusch.com
- https://www.krusch.com/books/kennedy/Cointelpro_Papers.pdf

TIMELINE

1956-08-28First formal COINTELPRO authorization memo (Belmont to Boardman) initiated against the Communist Party USA (CPUSA). [src]
1956COINTELPRO program officially begins operations. [src]
1971COINTELPRO activities officially ceased. [src]

ENTITIES

EVENT COINTELPRO — covert FBI counterintelligence program
ORG FBI — United States Federal Bureau of Investigation, conducted COINTELPRO
ORG Communist Party of the United States of America (CPUSA) — initial target of COINTELPRO
PERSON Alan Belmont — FBI official who authored the August 28, 1956 memo
PERSON William C. Sullivan — Recipient of the August 28, 1956 memo (often cited as Boardman)
PERSON J. Edgar Hoover — FBI Director during COINTELPRO

OPEN QUESTIONS — PENDING LEADS

Are there official FBI or National Archives records of the August 28, 1956 COINTELPRO authorization memo that show redactions, beyond standard personal information?
Does the version of the August 28, 1956 Belmont memo available on Scribd (or similar public archives) contain any indications of redacted text or classified portions?
What specific criteria did the FBI use to determine which portions of COINTELPRO documents, including initial authorizations, would remain classified or be redacted upon public release?
Have any government watchdog groups or academic researchers published analyses on the completeness or redaction status of the August 28, 1956 COINTELPRO memo?
Is there an official FBI 'Vault' entry specifically for the August 28, 1956 COINTELPRO authorization memo, and if so, what is its redaction status?

EVIDENCE — CAPTURED SOURCES

[WEB] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COINTELPRO [archived]
COINTELPRO (a syllabic abbreviation derived from Counter Intelligence Program) was a series of covert and illegal [1][2][3] projects conducted between 1956 and 1971 by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) aimed at surveilling, infiltrating, discrediting, and di…
[WEB] https://vault.fbi.gov/search [archived]
The Vault is our new FOIA Library, containing 6,700 documents and other media that have been scanned from paper into digital copies so you can read them in the comfort of your home or office.
[WEB] https://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/sites/default/files/pdf_documents/library/document/0204/1511708.pdf
The original documents are located in Box 4, folder “COINTELPRO” of the Ron Nessen · Papers at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library. ... States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections. Works prepared by U.S. Government empl…
[WEB] https://anomalydesk.com/cointelpro.html [archived]
The first formal COINTELPRO authorization, dated August 28, 1956, was directed against the Communist Party of the United States of America. The internal FBI memo (Belmont to Boardman) approving the program described the objective as to "harass, disrupt, and discredit" the CPUSA t…
[WEB] https://www.scribd.com/document/762221721/Belmont-COINTELPRO-Initiation-Memo-082856
August 28, 1956, memo from FBI official Alan Belmont on the initiation of the Bureau's infamous Counterintelligence Program (COINTELPRO).
[WEB] https://grokipedia.com/page/COINTELPRO
These propaganda efforts, drawn from declassified memos, prioritized low-risk disruption over overt action, with over 2,000 documented COINTELPRO actions involving mailings or forgeries across programs from 1956 to 1971.[52][21] The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) initiated…
[WEB] https://www.archives.gov/files/research/jfk/releases/docid-32989823.pdf [archived]
More News… Upcoming Events… · Contact Us · Accessibility · Privacy Policy · Freedom of Information Act · No FEAR Act · USA.gov
[WEB] https://www.krusch.com/books/kennedy/Cointelpro_Papers.pdf [archived]
The full story of COINTELPRO has not yet been told. The Bureau's files were · never seized by congress or the courts. Many have been destroyed. Others remain
[REDDIT] https://www.reddit.com/r/governmentoppression/comments/c4nk3l/cointelpro_information_and_examples_of_recent/ [archived]
The first part of this post will be the history of COINTELPRO, which included the FBI and local police disruption of activist groups or protests. The CIA also had their own version of this program. The second part will be recent examples of COINTELPRO activities. As I'm sure you …
[REDDIT] https://www.reddit.com/r/dailydeclassified/comments/11sfthx/cointelpro_the_fbis_secret_war_on_political/ [archived]
On the other hand, the program also had a profound impact on American society and politics. COINTELPRO played a significant role in shaping public opinion and suppressing political dissent. It contributed to the criminalization of certain forms of political activism and dissent, …
[REDDIT] https://www.reddit.com/r/RunagateRampant/comments/g2tmt7/issue4_history_cointelpro_19561971/
COINTELPRO is the code name for the FBI's counter intelligence program that used illegal and immoral Gestapo-like tactics against various seditionist political groups during the fish rotting reign of FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover. Purpose To "expose, disrupt, misdirect, or otherwi…
[REDDIT] https://www.reddit.com/r/TranquillTimesarchive/comments/ee42l0/cointelpro/
SS cointelpro short for Counterintelligence Program and running from 1956 to 1971 it was originally set up to disrupt the activities of the Communist Party of the United States, but was later expanded to include a number of other domestic groups, such as the Ku Klux Klan, the Soc…
[REDDIT] https://www.reddit.com/r/clandestineoperations/comments/1ao7nyn/cointelpro/ [archived]
The FBI began COINTELPRO—short for Counterintelligence Program—in 1956 to disrupt the activities of the Communist Party of the United States. In the 1960s, it was expanded to include a number of other domestic groups, such as the Ku Klux Klan, the Socialist Workers Party, and the…
[REDDIT] https://www.reddit.com/r/BooStreet/comments/1db0bbd/cointelpro_19561971_was_a_series_of_covert_and_at/
3 subscribers in the BooStreet community. COINTELPRO (1956-1971) was a series of covert, and at times illegal, projects conducted by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) aimed at surveilling, infiltrating, discrediting, and disrupting domestic political organizations
[REDDIT] https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1b9uqop/what_was_the_criteria_for_cointelpro_material/
What was the criteria for COINTELPRO material accessed by the Church Committee, why are the other MLK records still sealed, have other historians analyzed the documents David Garrow was criticized for writing about, and have historians pre-registered how they'll authenticate incr…
[REDDIT] https://www.reddit.com/r/conspiracy/comments/21l6w5/original_content_cointelpro_the_fbis_domestic_war/ [archived]
14: "COINTELPRO Papers," page 147 15: "COINTELPRO Papers," page 164 16: "COINTELPRO Papers," Page 116 17: "COINTELPRO Papers," Page 118 18: The Daily Mail, "'You are a colossal fraud. There's only one thing left for you to do': How the FBI tried to blackmail Martin Luther King Jr…

CROSS-REFERENCE

→ SHARES-EVENT COINTELPRO: FBI Counterintelligence Program Against Domestic Groups (1956–1971) — This dossier concerns the specific authorization memo for the broader COINTELPRO program described in the target document.
→ SUPPORTS COINTELPRO Authorization Chain and Bureaucratic Approval Mechanisms — The August 28, 1956 memo is the foundational document in the COINTELPRO authorization chain.
→ SUPPORTS COINTELPRO Target Organizations: Criminal Activity vs. Legal Political Organizing — The August 28, 1956 memo specifically targeted the Communist Party USA, which relates to the discussion of who COINTELPRO targeted.