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Memorandum C. D. Brennan to Mr. W. C.. Sullival RE: ELECTRONIC SURVEILLANCES 66-8160 that he desired to see Assistant Director Courtney Evans.' On July 16, l963, Kennedy told Evans that he was considering the possibility of a telephone surveillance of King because of King's communist associations. He was advised by Evans that since King was in travel status practically all the time, the productivity of such a surveillance was doubtful and he was asked to consider the reper- cussions if it ever became known that such surveillance had been instituted on King. Mr. Kennedy said he was not concerned about possible repercussions and that he thought it advisable to have as complete coverage as possible in view of the possible communist influence in the racial situation. He was told that the feasibility of such coverage would be determined and an appropriate recommendati would be submitted to him. On July 25, l963, Mr. Kennedy informed Evans he had changed his mind concerning his request and thought it ill-advised at that time, but on October 7,'l963, a request for authority to place a telephone surveillance on King's residence was sent to Mr. Kennedy. On October 10, l963, he authorized this surveillance and a surveillance on any future residence of King by his written signature. This telephone surveillance was installed on November 8, 1963, and was discontinued on April 30, 1965. Four small Negro children were killed on Sunday morning, September 15, 1963, when the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, was bombed. Attorney General Kennedy personall approved the FBi's request for technical surveillances on seven suspects, and an attorney known to have knowledge of acts of racial violence. These wiretaps were requested because the FBi "believed that additional activity on the part of those who are responsible for the bombings could easily lead to more rioting, bloodshed and Ic of life, materially affecting the security of the United States.' Civil rights workers Michael Henry Schwerner, Andrew. Goodman, and James Earl Chaney disappeared on June 2l, l964, at Philadelphia, Mississippi. Prior to the time their mutilated bodies were discovered buried beneath an earthen dam, Deputy Attorney Gener Nicholas deB. Katzenbach, in the absence of Attorney General Kennedy requested the FBI to consider placing a technical surveillance on the parents of Schwerner. Mr. Katzenbach was concerned that the disappearance of the three civil rights workers might be a hoax and. that Schwerner's parents, who had a Communist Party background,. might attempt to exploit the disappearance. On June 30,~1964, Mr. Katzenbach personally approved this technical surveillance. The Director reluctantly agreed to this wiretap, because. he Bureau might be embarrassed if the disappearance were not a. CONTINUED - OVER