US President Donald Trump's administration has released a trove of records on the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr, including FBI surveillance files on the civil rights leader. A court-imposed order had kept the documents, totalling 230,000 pages, blocked from public view since 1977.

The release includes more than 230,000 pages of records detailing the FBI’s investigation into King’s assassination.

Martin Luther King Jr. was a pastor and leader of the civil rights movement in the US, recognized for his peaceful struggle against racism and inequality. His death caused national shock and reinforced his legacy as a symbol.