MKUltra Documents

The history of MKUltra is pieced together from surviving documents, congressional hearings, and declassified files that escaped destruction.

Key Documents

MKUltra Master File

The 16,000-page document cache discovered in 1977 that contained financial records leading to investigation.

Church Committee Reports

1975-76 congressional investigations that first exposed MKUltra to the public.

Inspector General Report 1957

Internal CIA investigation that criticized MKUltra's ethical violations but didn't stop the program.

Canadian Commission Report

1986 report detailing CIA funding of Dr. Cameron's experiments in Canada.

Document Destruction

1973 Destruction Order

Richard Helms ordered destruction of all MKUltra files when he left CIA directorship.

Surviving Records

Only 20,000 pages survived because they were stored in financial records building rather than CIA headquarters.

Incomplete History

An estimated 90-95% of documents were destroyed, making full understanding impossible.

Ongoing Declassification

Some documents continue to be declassified through FOIA requests and historical review.

Notable Document Excerpts

"Precautions must be taken not only to protect operations from exposure to enemy forces but also to conceal these activities from the American public in general. The knowledge that the agency is engaging in unethical and illicit activities would have serious repercussions in political and diplomatic circles."

- CIA Inspector General Report, 1957

"We had no informed consent whatsoever from any of these people. We were dealing with a society that wouldn't ask questions. If you were a prisoner, you had no choice. If you were an addict, you had no choice."

- Dr. Harris Isbell, testimony about Addiction Research Center experiments

"The program included research into the effects of radiation, electric shock, psychology, psychiatry, sociology, anthropology, and harassment substances. Testing was conducted on unwitting US and Canadian citizens."

- Church Committee Final Report, 1976

Accessing Documents

Online Archives

  • CIA Electronic Reading Room
  • National Security Archive
  • Internet Archive MKUltra Collection

Physical Archives

  • National Archives at College Park
  • Canadian National Archives
  • Various university special collections