The paper titled "The Role of FBI Counterintelligence Program in Disrupting Activism of the Nation of Islam and other African-American Political Movements in the USA" by Yahia Zeghoudi, published in The Algerian Historical Journal, examines the FBI's interference in African American activism, particularly focusing on movements like the Nation of Islam (NOI) and others such as the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA).
The purpose of the research is to analyze the FBI's involvement in surveilling and destabilizing African American political movements. The article uses historical analysis and declassified FBI files to uncover the tactics used, including spying, infiltration, media manipulation, and even incitement to violence, to undermine leaders like Marcus Garvey, Malcolm X, and others.
The methodology is a combination of historical survey and examination of FBI documents, shedding light on how COINTELPRO (Counterintelligence Program) targeted black movements to weaken their political and social influence.
The key findings include evidence that the FBI used illegal tactics, violating constitutional rights to freedom of speech and assembly. This was especially prevalent in the operations against Garvey and the UNIA, where false charges and defamation were employed, and in the later operations against the Nation of Islam, where surveillance and disruption tactics were designed to suppress its growing influence.
The article concludes by discussing the cultural implications of these actions, arguing that the FBI acted as an agent of mainstream American values, seeking to protect the status quo by repressing movements that challenged racial segregation and inequality.
This research contributes to understanding the historical context of the FBI’s role in repressing African American activism and sheds light on the broader societal and governmental responses to racial justice movements in the 20th century.