Q: With all the recent Martin Luther King observances, I am reminded that the FBI files on him were ordered sealed for a number of years because it was feared that J. Edgar Hoover would blackmail King. When are the FBI’s files scheduled to be opened to the public?
—Gene Wade, Loganville
A: The FBI's files on King are sealed until 2027, or 50 years after they sealed by a court order in 1977. Attorney General Robert Kennedy allowed the FBI to put King under surveillance – starting in September 1963, or the month after his "I have a dream" speech — in an unsuccessful attempt to prove he had connections with communist organizations. The FBI tapped the phone lines of King and his closest associates and bugged their homes, hotel rooms and offices, according to a 2010 article in Smithsonian magazine.
Q: What has happened to Evan Gattis? He is not playing. I have tried finding out his situation on the computer, but haven’t gotten anywhere.
—Yolanda T. Rossi, Roswell
A: Gattis was hitting .188 since June 1 before he was sent to Triple-A Gwinnett on Aug. 30 "to get him some at-bats," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez told the AJC. He was to rejoin the Braves on Tuesday. Gattis, a rookie who has played catcher, first base and the outfield, hit .281 with 12 home runs and 32 RBIs through June 1. His playing time decreased as he hit .083 in June, .263 in July and .139 in August. Gattis, who missed 24 games from June 18 to July 14 while on the disabled list for an oblique strain, has three home runs the past three months.
Andy Johnston wrote this column. Do you have a question about the news? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or email q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
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