I'm a historian. Since it was a Civil Rights case, you submit FOIA to both at the same time. That's the best way. And you try to get to talk to an archivist. That is hard long distance, thanks to the new phone tree system and the "customer service" people who seem to exist to shove people into the geneology tracks. But it can be done.

NARA will be professional and get him his files. They will be happy to help. The NARA archivists are some of the nicest people I have ever worked with. If you have record numbers from the FBI letter, use them. Or attach a copy. It helps. I say this as someone who worked with the military and Civil Rights files.

The FBI policy is unfortunate. I've known about it, the AHA bemoans it. Maybe if more journalists conplain, something will get done.