While misinformation and disinformation are too common in the JFK story, the number of high-quality Web sites that provide useful information and perspectives is increasing. Here are some of the best. This list is regularly updated and reader recommendations are welcome.
- Mary Ferrell Foundation: The largest online repository of JFK assassination records from the FBI, CIA and other government agencies and from the five official investigations. The first stop for anyone doing JFK research online.
- JFKLancer: The online home of the largest network on independent JFK researchers who built and expanded the historical record of the assassination.
- The National Archives JFK Assassination Record Collection: a complete guide to information and records that the U.S. government has made public. Not much background information. (NOT FOR BEGINNERS)
- JFK: 50 Years. The JFK Library and Museum celebrates Kennedy’s legacy in seven areas of public life. It does not cover his death.
- Citizens for Truth About the Kennedy Assassination (CTKA): A hub for conspiracy-minded researchers that is strong on reviews of recent JFK books and obituaries of people involved in the JFK story.
- Coalition on Political Assassinations (COPA). John Judge’s site focuses on current activities around the assassination of JFK, Robert Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and Malcolm X.
- JFK Countercoup. Bill Kelly’s blog provides running commentary on new evidence related to the assassination with an emphasis on what can be done about it.
- The Grassy Knoll Witnesses: This Facebook page focuses on the witnesses who said that gunshots came from in front of the motorcade, testimony that any account of the assassination must explain.
- For beginners. 22 November 1963, a British Web site, provides a lucid and fair-minded overview of the JFK assassination and the many controversies about it.
- History students at American University have created a high-quality site about their own investigation of and thinking about JFK’s assassination. See WhoKilledJFK.org
- The JFK Forum Index has capsule biographies of many personalities involved in the JFK story. Lots of useful information about people involved in the JFK story, along with some claims that cannot be confirmed. (HANDLE WITH CARE)
- On the other hand. JFK Assassination Home Page: The best anti-conspiracy Web site, run by Marquette University professor John McAdams, defends the official story of a lone gunman while presenting a variety of evidence. If you disagree with his conclusions, these are the arguments you have to refute. (HANDLE WITH CARE)
Dave Perry? McAdams? Good luck. I won’t be back.
Hi Mark, I don’t know Dave Perry. I looked at his Web site and I see a guy who hasn’t made up his mind yet. That’s hardly offensive. As for McAdams, he can be abrasive but I try not to get offended by strong arguments. JFK is a story we feel strongly about. Why do you?
I am glad to see your web site here. I am glad there are more folks taking a look at the JFK assassination. There are truth and lies everywhere. No one has a monopoly on the truth.
Re: Dave Perry. He believes that a lone nutter Lee Harvey Oswald murdered JFK… except that he implied to me that he thought the Russians told Oswald to do it. I assess that probability at 1 in 100,000,000.
Dave Perry also gives us a very dishonest and one-sided look at Madeleine Brown. Absolutely, Madeleine was one of LBJ’s top inner circle mistresses of LBJ. I know many reputatable, serious JFK researchers that knew her well and believe her accounts of what LBJ told her.
I – for one – do not believe the account of the Murchison Party. Having said that Lyndon Johnson’s schedule for 12/31/63 is CONFIRMED that he was at the Driskill Hotel in Austin, TX where he kept a room #254 on retainer. It is still there today located on the mezzanine level. It was on that night that Lyndon Johnson told Madeleine Brown that Texas oil executives in Dallas and “renegade intelligence bastards” murdered John Kennedy. I agree. Just add in LBJ himself (and Hoover, perhaps Allen Dulles) and you have the core of the JFK assassination.
Military intelligence did it. But Lyndon Johnson was at the epicenter of the plot.
Robert, I was skeptical of it. But when you consider that LBJ could have traveled to Dallas with ease; that he reportedly arrived late; that there are witnesses of this…including Johnson’s mistress! Think there is a lot of evidence this meeting did take place and LBJ had a part. I don’t like thinking that way. I grew up a Cowboy fan–and that means that if this is indeed true, as I believe, I unwittingly once stood in the presence of one of the men who took JFK’s life.
John Simkin’s Spartacus Index makes both lists on the basis of having some “useful information” as well as “a fair amount of information that is false, misleading, or cannot be confirmed.” He adds in caps “HANDLE WITH CARE”. I happen to agree with you on that. John’s failure to act on my recommendation to present a more balanced view of certain individuals, is one of the reasons I left that site. However, you also list McAdams’ “JFK Assassination Home Page” in your “Best Of” – without a hint of any warning that it also contains a mix of “useful information” and “a fair amount of information that is false, misleading, or cannot be confirmed.” Moreover, McAdams once admitted to me he was a propagandist – and it’s hard to disagree with him about that – his website is full of loaded language, misrepresentations, omissions and half-truths – all aimed at knocking down the easy conspiracy stuff… the stuff on the extreme that my 8 year old twins could poke holes in. He will not touch anything he cannot counter. He doesn’t have to – not when he uses such a broad brush. All hallmarks of a propagandist.
Thanks for updating your listing of McAdams’ website, Jeff. It does contain some good info – but your listing is more balanced (and therefore, more accurate) now.
Here is one example of what I was referring to: http://reopenkennedycase.forumotion.net/t232-why-mcadams-site-needs-a-warning-label#974
Greg, I never “admitted to you that I was a propagandist.” If you think I did, you took something out of context and interpreted it in a twisted way.
I would add in Deep Politics Forum. Glad to see you joined us Jeff. I welcomed you Friday but have not seen you online. Look forward to your contributions. Any word back on the case?
Dave Perry, Mc Adams….ah….I guess for those who want to support the Warren Commission lie, but who has time for lies?
Attorney Dawn Meredith
Austin, Tx.
JKF assassination researcher since 11/22/63, at age 14.
The best account is in James Douglass, “JFK and the Unspeakable.” The WHY is more important than the HOW. I’ve read maybe 30 books on the topic and this is by far the best.
It is also the best book I’ve read about the US Presidency and also about the nuclear arms race.
Mr. McAdams doesn’t belong on a list of “best sites,” since he is pushing the Warren Commission hoax. One can be sincere on this (or not), but alleged sincerity doesn’t make it correct or otherwise worthy of a “best” JFK site list. Perhaps it is the best defense of the Warren coverup, but surely we’re long past that nonsense, now.
Also recommended:
http://www.politicalassassinations.com
Coalition on Political Assassinations
http://www.ctka.net
Citizens for Truth in the Kennedy Assassination
My modest effort is at http://www.oilempire.us/jfk.html
Thanks Mark. At your suggestion, I will add those two sites to our “Best JFK Web sites” page.
http://ratical.org/ratville/JFK/
Topics on the National Security States of America
Understanding Special Operations
The Kennedy Assassination
The Clandestine Operations Business
You should consider Bill Kelly’s website:
http://jfkcountercoup.blogspot.com/
Bill is one of the best JFK researchers on the web.
We’ll take that suggestion
Hi Jeff
I would also ask you to add the Deep Politics Forum site
to your best list.
Thanks, we’re always looking for recommendations for best JFK web sites. Deep Politics Forum has a different focus so it doesn’t fit our category.
Jeff DPF has a very good JFK section, but you are right we also focus on other matters of deep political significance.
Dawn Meredith
co-founder/owner DPF
The comments on the McAdams crew being composed of many half truths and misleading is on the Mark. The Education Forum by John Simkin is also composed of truth and misleading information. It appears their intention is to slow down the truth finding on JFK.
They share in their attacks on the Judyth Baker story, which I have studied and talked about with her for a decade now.
My careful looking at the validity for the Judyth Baker story finds it true, and these attacks from the McAdams and Education Forum’s Simpkin, Jack White, Bill Kelly and others as mean spirited and totally off base.
In my opinion it is time to call a spade a spade and those avoiding the facts are highly concentrated with McAdams and Simkin’s UK based group. Lets hope the same lame research and misinformation gang doesn’t take over this area!
Anyone that has taken the time to know Judyth Baker finds she is on the level and she kept almost everything from this special period in her life and there one finds an abundance of proof that she is what she claims. She doesn’t show these things to the hostile McAdams and the John Simkin types that lead off with attack games, but non the less the information exists in much abundance.
One course, those who insist upon never meeting her, being polite, and taking the time to verify her information just don’t know anything and speak only from hear say and hand waving opinion based upon nothing but thin air.
Let hope the lessons learned from the McAdams followers and the Simkin followers doesn’t turn this area into a misleading information site that is intent upon not turning up all the information for the JFK hit and that for Lee Oswald.
IMHO,
Jim Phelps
Ms. Baker? Maybe, maybe not. It seems tertiary at best.
The best efforts point out the policy shifts that JFK was trying to enact, not the microanalysis of details that are unlikely to be verified at this late date. JFK and the Unspeakable shines brilliantly as a guide. I also like the “Mr. X” dialogue in Oliver Stone’s JFK, warning that the stories of Oswald, Ruby, Cubans, the Mafia are distractions in a parlor game that keep everyone from focusing on the core issues: who benefitted and who had the power to cover it up?
—
“The tyranny of power is here. Current events tell us that those who killed Kennedy can only perpetuate their power by promoting social upheaval both at home and abroad. And that will lead not to revolution but to repression. I suggest to you, my friend, that the interests of those who killed Kennedy now transcend national boundaries and national priorities. No doubt we are dealing now with an international conspiracy. We must face that fact – and not waste any more time microanalyzing the evidence. That’s exactly what they want us to do. They have kept us busy for so long. And I will bet, buddy, that is what will happen to you. They’ll keep you very, very busy and, eventually, they’ll wear you down. The truth was easily ascertainable. I feel that my work on the assassination is an accomplishment which required little intelligence, minimal analytic ability, and no special talents. Rather, it reflected a willingness to bear witness to the truth irrespective of the consequences. In my responsibility to adhering to the truth as I saw it, I have been and will continue to be, oblivious to all the consequences of its expression.”
– Vincent Salandria
I have learned a great deal from the Weisberg Digital Archives.
Rich material about Harold Weisberg’s thoughts on the JFK case and his original research into the Warren Commission files.
Also included are videos from the 1976 National Symposium on the Kennedy and King Assassinations with appearances by Weisberg, James Lesar, Howard Roffman and Professor David R. Wrone.
Weisberg’s correspondence with many of the leading critics is illuminating as our his many book length critiques of pro-Warren Commission and pro-conspiracy books.
Weisberg’s criticisms of the Jim Garrison case and the Oliver Stone movie are strongly presented and factually significant.
http://www.jfk.hood.edu.
You lost me at Lancer. Their mission, disguised by other topics, is to defend the Zapruder film as authentic.
I do not agree that this is their mission.
Dawn
Not sure if they’d need to ‘disguise’ that goal to be honest.
The Education Forum and Deep Politics Forum are valuable but you need to filter the trolls and occasional idiots at the former – there is still much valuable stuff there though. The latter has some solid JFK discussion but isn’t solely about JFK so I understand if it gets omitted through category. I generally agree with the list of 10. The final site I’d personally recommend (not so much for the list, but just for people interested in the case) is Amazon, where browsing the JFK books and accompanying reviews can be quite educational. For starters I’d suggest people read the ‘most helpful’ reviews (and ideally purchase the books) for JFK AND THE UNSPEAKABLE, THE LAST INVESTIGATION, BREACH OF TRUST, DEADLY SECRETS and DESTINY BETRAYED (Second Edition). There are a variety of detailed comments from readers that collectively offer much useful info, and each of those books is supportive of and works in parallel with the others.
Release ALL of the documents sill locked up.
Truth/Justice would go a long way in restoring Belif/Respect in Politicaal Leadership/Law Enforcement/nional Media that hey once EARNED ! ! !
IMHO The problem lies with presenting any list as a Best of /Worst of scenario. All web media has value in that it has allowed the textual data to be uploaded and preserved for future generations to research and find the answers that have been sought for 50 years related to this case.
I have learned much from every website even those that promote anti conspiracy though I wholeheartedly believe there was a conspiracy in this murder and that was obvious 35 years ago when I first took up active study.
What needs done at this point in research is a simplifying of the massive amount of material.
An immediate identification of what the ultimate views are on all the various sites and what that implies about that sites agenda.
No website at this point in time can claim to be neutral .
There are basic facts that are known and unimpeachable .
Those need listed along with the material from the official documents that verify those known facts.
Known facts need to be separated from opinions, conjecture, conclusions or analysis of those facts.
The facts need to stand on their own and there is no need for multiple explanations. It is in the endless analysis that the confusion begins and continues. It is in the endless discussion and debate that essential truth lies hidden.
It is time for the debate to end and the truth to be seen.
I agree with the comments about Bill Kelly. Wonderful committed man we don’t see eye to eye on everything (Doug Horne), nonetheless I see eye to eye with him most of the time, he’s a wonderful source of knowledge definitely in my top ten. Larry Hancock is also pretty damn good. He’s helped me out with so many articles (Oh why did he have to do that MLK book?). Definitely in Bill’s league can’t tell em apart. No 1 of course is CTKA but you all knew I’d say that didn’t you. Mary Ferrell site is very good and I really like Rex. However, some of the articles on the website are a little to eclectic. I enjoy Lancer there are some great people. However, I find the mods are far to tolerant of certain fools and over zealous on others. Thus the DPF is an amazing forum, Magda and Jan are exceptional mods and CD is hilarious, insightful and rather brilliant (when he’s not being a git-he’ll understand). Seriously good stuff on the DPF, the JFK thread is by the far the biggest one. It has some some excellent people. It should also be rated far higher than it is and it is an invaluable precious resource.
Jeff you should start looking at the best JFK Blogs George Bailey has a bloody good one.
I agree with SM Cooogan on Larry Hancock. I consider him to be one of the best researchers – his stuff is solid, and always backed up with documented evidence. What I think is valuable about Larry’s approach is that he will not toss wild theories about if he has nothing to back it up. I think Someone would have talked does a remarkable job in explaining the role of the Cuban exiles and also how the plot and the cover up might have two separate plots. He now has a blog which he regularly updates. I also admire Larry as he does not get involved in the frequent mud-slinging and ego battles that many other authors/researchers do. It is part of the reason why I do not participate in the forums anymore. I got so tired of it. I think its about time we all stopped acting like children and try to discuss the case like reasonable adults.
Just a quicky on Perry, McAdams, et al. Have followed them for years. They play a shell game — ie, they try to draw you in with a show of “honesty and openness” and then drop their twisted “logic” on you. Your “HANDLE WITH CARE” disclaimer should be at the start of your intro, and much bolder. In all my years, I’ve not seen one legitimate contribution from them, not one. So, my question, why even bother with them. I’ve just spent more time writing this short piece than they warrant. They are disinformation and misinformation specialists, bought and paid for.
I disagree with some of the people you reference but I know nothing to substantiate your allegation that they are “bought and paid for.”
“Bought and paid for” as in “sold out.” Simply identifies them as without balance and in complete accordance with the “non-conspiracy theory” of the Warren Commission. Sorry you found that offensive. But if there has been any serious (and I stress “serious”) attempt at balance on the part of any of this group I’m not aware of it.
Leave aside “offensive.” If you say someone is “bought and paid for” that surely means that you are saying they were “paid” something by somebody. That’s different than saying someone is a “sell out” or shows no balance. I don’t mean to be pedantic, just accurate.
Pedantic is OK. Thanks.