The Forgotten Revolution: How Ordinary Citizens Took Down the FBI’s Secret Surveillance Program
In the quiet hours of March 8, 1971, in Media, Pennsylvania, four seemingly ordinary individuals—professors, students, and social workers—embarked on a daring mission to expose one of the most powerful and clandestine agencies in America: the FBI. Disguised as travelers, they entered the County Courts building, not to attend a court case, but to break into what was then a highly guarded FBI office. Their goal was clear: to uncover whether the FBI was truly surveilling and sabotaging American citizens engaged in activism and dissent.
The plan was conceived by Bill Davidon, a physics professor with roots in Catholic peace activism and prior efforts against the Vietnam War draft. Inspired by his previous successful break-ins to retrieve military files, Davidon and eight allies—dubbed The Citizens' Commission to Investigate the FBI—planned a covert raid on the FBI office. Their objective was to gather evidence of illegal surveillance, infiltration, blackmail, and attempts to undermine civil rights leaders, particularly through the FBI’s covert Counterintelligence Program, known as COINTELPRO.
Leading up to the night of the break-in, meticulous preparations ensued. Bonnie Raines, posing as a college student, infiltrated the office to gather details on the building’s security. She discovered the FBI office lacked an alarm system—an oversight the activists could exploit. Lock-picking techniques were refined, and plans were made to strike during a distracted moment—the heavyweight boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, hoping the commotion would reduce suspicion.
However, the plan unraveled when the group's insider, Peter Greene, withdrew at the last minute, and unforeseen security measures thwarted Forsyth's lock-picking attempt. Still, ingenuity prevailed. Forsyth returned with a metal bar, forced open a secondary door, and facilitated the entry of the team, who swiftly emptied every document from desks and filing cabinets into suitcases, leaving behind only blank procedural forms. Their quiet exfiltration marked a pivotal moment in American history.
Once away from the FBI office, the activists poured over the stolen documents. The files provided undeniable proof of FBI efforts to surveil and manipulate citizens engaged in activism, including detailed instructions to foster paranoia among radicals and black communities. Files traced the FBI's relentless tracking of civil rights groups, the Black Student Union, and even personal communications, revealing a widespread and intrusive surveillance apparatus.
The bravery of these ordinary Americans to leak and disseminate the evidence was unparalleled. Davidon and others copied these documents to universities, risking their careers and safety. Their most significant recipients included prominent political figures like Senator George McGovern and Congressman Parren Mitchell—both outspoken opponents of the Vietnam War and advocates for civil liberties. Yet, these politicians publicly distanced themselves, refusing to challenge the FBI’s authority directly and advocating for legal channels instead.
The FBI’s director, J. Edgar Hoover—who had wielded unchecked power for decades—was furious. He saw the break-in as an existential threat to the agency's reputation and his personal authority. Hoover launched an all-out investigation to track down the perpetrators, deploying all resources—including FBI files and Xerox machine fingerprints—leaning heavily on advanced forensic techniques to identify the sources of the leaked documents.
The FBI fixated on the women and men involved, especially Bonnie Raines and Sara Shumer, whose visits to the FBI office and subsequent uncovered identities led to intense scrutiny. Shumer’s unguarded interaction with agents and her real-name disclosure made her a prime target. Meanwhile, the FBI kept close watch on Peter Greene, suspecting him because of his protests and associations.
Despite their efforts, the FBI’s investigation yielded little. Most of the burglars vanished into obscurity, their names remaining unknown for decades. As Hoover’s forces failed to rearrest the activists, the documents and the story of the break-in remained largely hidden from the American public, clouded by government secrecy and the bureaucratic complexity of investigations.
The turning point came when journalist Betty Medsger, inspired by her discovery of FedExed documents at her workplace, uncovered the cache of stolen files. Her subsequent reporting, aided by an unusual government slip-up—where officials falsely claimed the documents threatened national security—exposed the depth of FBI misconduct and surveillance programs.
In 1971, The Washington Post published a groundbreaking story titled “Stolen Documents Describe FBI Surveillance Activities,” igniting public outrage. The revelations shattered the myth of the FBI as merely a crime-fighting agency, exposing it instead as a judicially unchecked entity operating “on its own, answerable to no one,” as TIME magazine later described.
The expose revealed shocking details: the FBI’s efforts to dominate civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., orchestrate the assassination of activist Fred Hampton, and even conduct experiments on unwitting Americans with mind control substances. These disclosed acts shocked even the most skeptical minds, shaking the foundation of American democracy.
The FBI’s reputation took a severe hit, and Hoover’s iron grip was finally loosened with his death on May 2, 1972. Investigations like those initiated by journalist Carl Stern, who sued for classified documents under the Freedom of Information Act, unveiled an array of gruesome secrets: assassinations of foreign leaders, extensive surveillance of Americans, and illegal experiments. The documents revealed the true extent of federal abuse over decades, into dark chapters of national security and covert operations.
The brave citizens behind the break-in—once dismissed as mere radicals—became heroes in the fight for transparency and civil rights. Their declaration from the day after the break-in condemned repression, emphasizing that democracy depended on transparency, accountability, and the right of citizens to scrutinize their government. They recognized that unchecked power in the hands of a few inevitably leads to tyranny.
Legacy and Lessons for Today
The Media break-in remains a defining moment in American history—a testament to how ordinary citizens, driven by moral conviction, can challenge pervasive government abuses. Their actions sparked a series of revelations that led to reforms and increased oversight of intelligence agencies.
Today, the legacy endures, particularly in an era of digital surveillance and data brokers. As one speaker reflects, the same fight continues, now against private corporations and data brokers who profit from harvesting personal information without consent—echoes of past struggles for privacy.
This story underscores the importance of active citizenship, investigative journalism, and the relentless pursuit of transparency. It reminds us that even in the face of overwhelming power, ordinary Americans can stand up for democracy, risking everything to protect the rights of all.
Support stories that matter. Support democracy. Stand against abuses of power.
Part 1/13:
The Forgotten Revolution: How Ordinary Citizens Took Down the FBI’s Secret Surveillance Program
In the quiet hours of March 8, 1971, in Media, Pennsylvania, four seemingly ordinary individuals—professors, students, and social workers—embarked on a daring mission to expose one of the most powerful and clandestine agencies in America: the FBI. Disguised as travelers, they entered the County Courts building, not to attend a court case, but to break into what was then a highly guarded FBI office. Their goal was clear: to uncover whether the FBI was truly surveilling and sabotaging American citizens engaged in activism and dissent.
The Break-In That Changed America
Part 2/13:
The plan was conceived by Bill Davidon, a physics professor with roots in Catholic peace activism and prior efforts against the Vietnam War draft. Inspired by his previous successful break-ins to retrieve military files, Davidon and eight allies—dubbed The Citizens' Commission to Investigate the FBI—planned a covert raid on the FBI office. Their objective was to gather evidence of illegal surveillance, infiltration, blackmail, and attempts to undermine civil rights leaders, particularly through the FBI’s covert Counterintelligence Program, known as COINTELPRO.
Part 3/13:
Leading up to the night of the break-in, meticulous preparations ensued. Bonnie Raines, posing as a college student, infiltrated the office to gather details on the building’s security. She discovered the FBI office lacked an alarm system—an oversight the activists could exploit. Lock-picking techniques were refined, and plans were made to strike during a distracted moment—the heavyweight boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, hoping the commotion would reduce suspicion.
Part 4/13:
However, the plan unraveled when the group's insider, Peter Greene, withdrew at the last minute, and unforeseen security measures thwarted Forsyth's lock-picking attempt. Still, ingenuity prevailed. Forsyth returned with a metal bar, forced open a secondary door, and facilitated the entry of the team, who swiftly emptied every document from desks and filing cabinets into suitcases, leaving behind only blank procedural forms. Their quiet exfiltration marked a pivotal moment in American history.
The Evidence That Shook the Nation
Part 5/13:
Once away from the FBI office, the activists poured over the stolen documents. The files provided undeniable proof of FBI efforts to surveil and manipulate citizens engaged in activism, including detailed instructions to foster paranoia among radicals and black communities. Files traced the FBI's relentless tracking of civil rights groups, the Black Student Union, and even personal communications, revealing a widespread and intrusive surveillance apparatus.
Part 6/13:
The bravery of these ordinary Americans to leak and disseminate the evidence was unparalleled. Davidon and others copied these documents to universities, risking their careers and safety. Their most significant recipients included prominent political figures like Senator George McGovern and Congressman Parren Mitchell—both outspoken opponents of the Vietnam War and advocates for civil liberties. Yet, these politicians publicly distanced themselves, refusing to challenge the FBI’s authority directly and advocating for legal channels instead.
Hoover’s Fury and the FBI Counterattack
Part 7/13:
The FBI’s director, J. Edgar Hoover—who had wielded unchecked power for decades—was furious. He saw the break-in as an existential threat to the agency's reputation and his personal authority. Hoover launched an all-out investigation to track down the perpetrators, deploying all resources—including FBI files and Xerox machine fingerprints—leaning heavily on advanced forensic techniques to identify the sources of the leaked documents.
Part 8/13:
The FBI fixated on the women and men involved, especially Bonnie Raines and Sara Shumer, whose visits to the FBI office and subsequent uncovered identities led to intense scrutiny. Shumer’s unguarded interaction with agents and her real-name disclosure made her a prime target. Meanwhile, the FBI kept close watch on Peter Greene, suspecting him because of his protests and associations.
Despite their efforts, the FBI’s investigation yielded little. Most of the burglars vanished into obscurity, their names remaining unknown for decades. As Hoover’s forces failed to rearrest the activists, the documents and the story of the break-in remained largely hidden from the American public, clouded by government secrecy and the bureaucratic complexity of investigations.
Part 9/13:
The Media Breakthrough and Public Revelation
The turning point came when journalist Betty Medsger, inspired by her discovery of FedExed documents at her workplace, uncovered the cache of stolen files. Her subsequent reporting, aided by an unusual government slip-up—where officials falsely claimed the documents threatened national security—exposed the depth of FBI misconduct and surveillance programs.
In 1971, The Washington Post published a groundbreaking story titled “Stolen Documents Describe FBI Surveillance Activities,” igniting public outrage. The revelations shattered the myth of the FBI as merely a crime-fighting agency, exposing it instead as a judicially unchecked entity operating “on its own, answerable to no one,” as TIME magazine later described.
Part 10/13:
The expose revealed shocking details: the FBI’s efforts to dominate civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., orchestrate the assassination of activist Fred Hampton, and even conduct experiments on unwitting Americans with mind control substances. These disclosed acts shocked even the most skeptical minds, shaking the foundation of American democracy.
Hoover’s Demise and the Birth of Oversight
Part 11/13:
The FBI’s reputation took a severe hit, and Hoover’s iron grip was finally loosened with his death on May 2, 1972. Investigations like those initiated by journalist Carl Stern, who sued for classified documents under the Freedom of Information Act, unveiled an array of gruesome secrets: assassinations of foreign leaders, extensive surveillance of Americans, and illegal experiments. The documents revealed the true extent of federal abuse over decades, into dark chapters of national security and covert operations.
Part 12/13:
The brave citizens behind the break-in—once dismissed as mere radicals—became heroes in the fight for transparency and civil rights. Their declaration from the day after the break-in condemned repression, emphasizing that democracy depended on transparency, accountability, and the right of citizens to scrutinize their government. They recognized that unchecked power in the hands of a few inevitably leads to tyranny.
Legacy and Lessons for Today
The Media break-in remains a defining moment in American history—a testament to how ordinary citizens, driven by moral conviction, can challenge pervasive government abuses. Their actions sparked a series of revelations that led to reforms and increased oversight of intelligence agencies.
Part 13/13:
Today, the legacy endures, particularly in an era of digital surveillance and data brokers. As one speaker reflects, the same fight continues, now against private corporations and data brokers who profit from harvesting personal information without consent—echoes of past struggles for privacy.
This story underscores the importance of active citizenship, investigative journalism, and the relentless pursuit of transparency. It reminds us that even in the face of overwhelming power, ordinary Americans can stand up for democracy, risking everything to protect the rights of all.
Support stories that matter. Support democracy. Stand against abuses of power.