In an earlier note in this series, I looked at the redactions in a set of ARC docs which I dubbed CIA short docs. CIA short docs are one page CIA docs where NARA 21, the May 2021 update of the JFK database, lists a current status of “Redact” and a doc restriction of 5(g)(2)(D).…
Bradford on the ARC, 2021
This note looks at a critique of the current state of the ARC, written by Rex Bradford, president of the Mary Ferrell Foundation (MFF). The critique was posted online here in March 2021. Unfortunately, this was too early for Bradford to consult the updated version of the JFK database, which went on line in June 2021.…
More on Biden’s memo
An interesting note posted yesterday on W. Tracy Parnell’s blog, The JFK Files. Parnell summarizes some of the response to President Biden’s memo on the release of ARC files (see here). The response, from some, was much stronger than I expected. Another notch against my reputation for prognostication.…
Withholding and redaction in the ARC
I have finally added an important page explaining postponements and redaction in the JFK Collection. Here is a link to it. There is also a link on the home page. Let me know if you have any corrections or suggestions!…
Biden’s memo
President Biden has finally spoken on the release of records under the JFK Act. In a memo released October 22, 2021, Biden ordered NARA to begin preparation for further releases, including putting the entire JFK Assassination Records Collection online. The memo is available here.
A closer look
The memo is long, specifying lots more paperwork for agencies (primarily the CIA) who want to continue redacting their documents, plus short term, mid term, and long term plans for release of more info.…
NARA 21, part 8: More updates to the JFK database
I am still looking at NARA 21, the updated version of the JFK ARC database. I have had recent correspondence with NARA on the status of the database that corrects a couple of my earlier posts.
“Declassify” records
The first correction here is on the 13 records in the updated JFK database labeled “declassify”.…
Summary of Collection history now online!
I have finally added an introductory page on the history of the ARC. Here is a link to it. There is a link to it on the home page as well. Let me know if you have any corrections or suggestions! …
NARA 21, part 7: Redacted CIA records – A cable from Helsinki
This note looks at a specific issue in the ARC, but since it looks at it in the context of the latest information on redactions, call it my seventh note on NARA 21, the updated version of the JFK ARC database (available here). NARA 21 is the most current resource for ARC redactions, incorporating all the info from the 2017-2018 releases/redactions.…
NARA 21, part 6: Redacted CIA records – duplicates
This note takes up some general issues in the ARC, but since it looks at them in the context of the latest information on redactions, call it my sixth note on NARA 21, the updated version of the JFK ARC database (available here). NARA 21 incorporates the 2017-2018 ARC releases, and is therefore essential when looking at redaction issues.…
NARA 21, part 5: Redacted CIA records – short
This is my fifth note on NARA 21, the updated version of the JFK ARC database (available here). See the first note in this series for more details on the what, when, why of NARA 21.
This note continues the topic I took up in my fourth note: What kind of material is redacted in Collection records and how extensive are these redactions?…