hot document: Primary sources exposed and explained.

Pryor's Priors

hot document
entries
12345
from: Timothy Noah

Posted Thursday, May 25, 2006, at 6:47 PM ET

Below and on the following four pages are footnoted excerpts from Richard Pryor's file at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, apparently created when the comedian gave some money to the Black Panther party. The file has not previously been made public. Thanks to Washington-area researcher Michael Ravnitzky for ferreting it out. To read the footnotes, roll your mouse over the portions highlighted in yellow. To download Pryor's complete FBI file in .pdf format, click here, here, here, and here. (Note: These files are large and work best when saved and then opened from your desktop, rather than opened in the browser.)

If you have a document you'd like to suggest for this column, please e-mail me at . Please indicate whether you'd like to be mentioned by name.

In September 1969, the FBI director was J. Edgar Hoover.
Pryor apparently wasn't the Panthers' first choice to perform at the Chicago benefit. The memo seems to suggest that the first choice (name witheld) was rejected for not toeing the Panther line.
hot document
entries
12345
from: Timothy Noah

Posted Thursday, May 25, 2006, at 6:47 PM ET
Print This ArticlePRINTDiscuss this in The FrayDISCUSSEmail to a FriendE-MAIL
Share on FacebookPost to MySpace!Share with MixxDigg ThisShare with RedditShare with del.icio.usShare with FurlShare with Ma.gnolia.comShare with SphereShare with Stumble Upon
Timothy Noah is a senior writer at Slate.
Join the Fray: our reader discussion forum
What did you think of this article?
POST A MESSAGE | READ MESSAGES
Washington Post
The Washington Post
OPINIONS
Let the Oil Deals Flow
Raad Alkadiri | Congress should not interfere in the oil industry's contract negotiations with the Iraqi government.