Since the early days of ufology, witnesses and researchers have reported threatening visits from official-looking men in black suits, driving old Cadillacs and claiming to be from the government, or strongly implying such a connection. Some of them most likely were. Air Force investigators often visited witnesses to interview, or interrogate, them about their encounters.
The following audio recording, for example, was found in the files of journalist Frank Scully – surreptitiously recorded by radio man George Koehler. The AFOSI investigators wanted to find out what Koehler knew about the Aztec crash retrieval and any “gadgets” that may have made their way into civilian hands:
But researchers like John Keel were convinced that the genuine Men in Black, as they came to be known, were merely impersonating government agents, something that the agencies themselves found concerning. He wrote:
In February 1967, Air Force headquarters in the Pentagon recognized the problem by issuing a letter to all commands urging security officers to be alert for these phantom airmen. Since impersonating a military officer is a violation of federal law, the FBI was also alerted, and their agents became involved in several UFO episodes. But the MIB remained elusive.
In a typical encounter, the Men in Black appear shortly after a witness sighting or encounter with a UFO, trying to convince them that what they had seen was something mundane, to frighten them into silence and confiscate any potential evidence, like photographs or film footage, or to convince researchers to cease their investigation into the topic. Keel again:
The MIB seem to have an intelligence organization that makes our CIA seem like a bunch of cub scouts. They have often zeroed in on UFO witnesses who have not disclosed their sightings to anyone. It is not unusual for a family to return to their home after watching UFOs cavort above their front yard and have the phone ring immediately, sometimes with nothing but silence on the other end, sometimes with a mysterious voice warning them to keep their mouths shut.
The MIB have come up a handful of times in the Cassiopaean sessions.
November 19, 1994
Q: (L) Who or what are the individuals called “Men in Black”?
A: Lizard [i.e. Reptilian 4D STS] projections.
Q: (T) Does that mean that they are just projecting an image of a being?
A: Yes.
Q: (T) The MIBs are not real, then, in our physical terms?
A: Partly correct. You do not understand technology but we will describe it if you like.
Q: (L) We like. Please describe this.
A: Okay. Get ready. First we must explain further time “travel” because the two concepts are closely related. The first step is to artificially induce an electromagnetic field. This opens the door between dimensions of reality. Next, thoughts must be channelled by participant in order to access reality-bonding channel. They must then focus the energy to the proper dimensional bridge. The electrons must be arranged in correct frequency wave. Then the triage must be sent through realm “curtain” in order to balance perceptions at all density levels.
Q: (L) Information in the event that has to be balanced or taken into consideration as to importance so that the program runs correctly. Is this the correct interpretation of triage as you have used it?
A: Sort of. Triage is as follows: 1. matter, 2. energy, 3. perception of reality. That is it folks.
January 14, 1995
(L) [Summarizing the above session material.] (J) Holographic images. (T) They transmit energy that takes matter here and creates what we perceive, and what we perceive depends on... (L) No, no, no... I know what it is... the triage must be sent through... the triage is that the matter becomes energy which then becomes perception and when it hits the other side of the curtain, the perception reconverts to energy which then coagulates as matter... it is like doing a back-flip through the realm curtain.
(T) And what the individual sees depends upon what they expect to see, which the Lizzies have to tap into first before they do the triage... that is the “reality-bonding channel.” If you are open to see Men in Black, even if you don’t know what they are, then at some level of consciousness... (F) But I think this is not just limited to Men In Black.
(L) Listen to this! “Several times I have heard references to big rectangular boxes, I would like to know who these belong to?” And the answer was: “Lizard projections...” What are they doing, projecting their whole damn reality into our world? (F) Well, apparently part of the whole process of going from 4th to 3rd is the “projection” process itself. (T) Yes, you have to move backward somehow.
(F) This also, of course, explains much of what we have read and heard about in terms of higher phenomena. You cannot ground it at all. So many people have fallen off the track by expecting to capture metallic craft and dissect them, and, while that does happen... (J) And the whole concept of what’s wrong with science now is that they can’t hold it or measure it, or see it physically because it doesn’t exist! (F) That is where material science falls apart. It is stuck in a vicious cycle.
January 11, 1995
Q: (Barry) Are Lizards shapeshifters?
A: All on 4th level of density have that ability.
Q: (Barry) Do they have the ability to block their true appearance?
A: Yes.
Q: (Barry) Are they walking around amongst us now?
A: Infrequently, they use “agents” to do most of their tasks on 3rd level.
Q: (Barry) Are these agents the “Men in Black” or are they the “Grays”?
A: Both and many others. Men in Black are often Lizards cloaked as human types, and can remain on 3rd density level for limited periods called short wave cycle [i.e. physical reality]. Men in Black claim to be government in order to have excuse to have direct contact with selected humans.
Q: (Barry) Have these Men in Black killed humans?
A: No.
Q: (Frank) They just threaten?
A: Yes.
The phrase “Lizard projection” also shows up in the transcripts in relation to the following phenomena, suggesting that such projections can take forms appearing both organic and technological:
a black boomerang-shaped UFO, called a “Lizard projection multiple reality station” (1994-10-20)
Jehovah (1994-10-20)
the being who appeared to Joan of Arc (1994-10-25)
rectangular-box-shaped UFOs (1994-11-19)
the South American “malos” described as gray with thick lips, rudimentary features, and gray uniforms (1994-11-19)
the “clay-like beings” in blue suits seen by Betty Andreasson (1994-11-19)
February 18, 1995
Q: (D) Should we be doing this more than one night a week? […]
A: No.
Q: (T) One night is more than enough. […] (T) While we are blasting this window open, are there other people on the planet taking notice of this?
A: Getting side effects.
Q: (T) Will they eventually be able to pin down the source?
A: Maybe.
Q: (T) So, we’d better keep a lot of mirth, ’cause we might be having visitors. (D) Is there something we can do to help them to locate this? (L) We don’t want them to! (D) Oh! Why?
A: MIB’s.
October 3, 1998
Q: (L) Keel [in Our Haunted Planet (1971)] also talks about “Serpent People” integrated in our society with holographic images superimposed over their faces. Is this ever the case?
A: Maybe.
Q: (L) As in Men in Black?
A: Maybe.
September 14, 2002
Q: (L) Another question we had was, in areas where 3rd and 4th density are merged or merging, is it easier for Men in Black to project themselves into such a reality?
A: Of course.
Commentary
In “Men in Black: Behavioral Patterns” (ca. 1968), John Keel wrote:
A new wave of appearances of the “MEN IN BLACK” (MIB) occurred Christmas week 1967, in West Virginia and New York state. As in previous cases, witnesses described these “men” as behaving in a disoriented and robot-like manner. It seems that some, if not all, of these entities are either androids or are human beings tightly controlled from a distance by unknown operators
In every case, these entities spoke with difficulty, misusing common slang. Often they were unable to articulate their thoughts and were difficult to understand. They also display an inability to understand spoken communication except when the witness looks directly into their faces. When the witnesses spoke to them while turned away, the MIB did not appear to hear what was said.
As in entity cases of all kinds, the MIB speak and behave on a level which indicates very low intelligence. They are childlike in response, betraying no emotion except anger. They become visibly angry instantly when their remarks are questioned or their requests refused. Most witnesses use the term “spoiled children” when trying to describe this behavioral trait.
Their physical movements are stiff and erratic, as if they were drunk, drugged or hypnotized. Their legs swivel awkwardly from the hips and they appear to have some trouble making simple movements, such as stepping down from curbstones.
Usually they are described as being from 5’7’’ to 5’9’’ tall, with frail, small boned bodies and extraordinarily long fingers. Their skin is dark, usually a deep olive, and their facial features are most often “like an Oriental, a Korean or a Thai”. Their eyes are a deep black and tend to be glazed and unseeing. Often they have a “cast” in one eye. Their ears seem to be slightly different from ours but thus far no witness has been able to describe this difference effectively.
Taller entities in this category are said to have pale complexions, overlarge (thyroid) eyes, and blond hair often cut in a crewcut. Their behavioral patterns are the same as the others.
Nick Redfern (2011) provides additional odd features that crop up in some cases:
no eyebrows or eyelashes, thin red lips, swarthy or milk-white complexion
out-of-style clothing, old car models in pristine condition
seem unfamiliar with ordinary objects (e.g. drinking disinfectant, needing to be instructed how to eat Jell-O)
seem to vanish instantly, sometimes in a flash of light
physiological effects (confusion, headaches, nightmares)
paranormal effects (glowing eyes, smell of sulfur, poltergeist phenomena)
In a 1987 paper, folklorist Peter M. Rojcewicz wrote:
There has been some serious discussion (Bearden 1980:45-73; Keel 1976b:5-6; Steiger 1978:121) that MIB and perhaps UFOs in general are related to the Tibetan mystical tradition of the “tulpas.” A tulpa is a materialized thought-form and thus may be related in part to holographic images. […]
From this perspective it can be said that MIB are materialized tulpoidal forms stabilized by collective fear […] John A. Keel (1976a:280) insists that “in psychic phenomena and demonology we find that seemingly solid objects are materialized and dematerialized or apported.”
Ra of the Law of One material also identified MIBs as thought projections of non-human intelligences (NHIs) in early 1981:
January 28, 1981
Ra: […] the crusaders of Orion [i.e. 4D STS] use two types of entities to do their bidding, shall we say. The first type is a thought-form; the second, a kind of robot.
Questioner: Who are the Men in Black?
Ra: […] The Men in Black are a thought-form type of entity which have […] certain physical characteristics given them. However, their true vibrational nature is without third-density vibrational characteristics and, therefore, they are able to materialize and dematerialize when necessary.
Questioner: Are all of these Men in Black then used by the Orion crusaders?
Ra: […] This is correct.
Questioner: If one were to visit me and I grabbed him and locked him in a closet could I keep him, or would he disappear?
Ra: […] You would not be able to grapple with a thought-form entity of the Men in Black, as you call it, type.
Redfern shares similar speculations from some of the researchers who have focused on these cases or experienced MIB firsthand:
Echoing what so many others have said about the Men in Black, [F.W.] Holiday admitted to feeling a deep sense of malevolence and abnormality emanating from the cold, passionless entity in his presence. Suddenly, Holiday heard a curious whispering or whistling noise, and the Man in Black vanished in an instant. (p. 83)
One might be inclined to strongly suspect that these black figures hold some sort of sway over our mental faculties and our ability to think logically and coherently. (p. 98)
Christopher O’Brien: “It’s like they manifest for a particular task, and they know what they’re supposed to do and what they’re supposed to say, but they exist in a framework of having no context. In other words, they are almost like manifested beings, or manufactured, temporary entities that don’t seem to have any sort of depth to them.” (p. 167)
Allen Greenfield: “The thing about the cases that Keel, Barker, and a number of others were most interested in is that these Men in Black don’t seem to be human beings at all. They seem like they have to make an effort to appear human. It’s like they’re trying to project their existence from moment to moment, and having a lot of trouble doing it. In some cases, people feel like the Men in Black have sucked energy out of the air, so you have vampire comparisons—psi-vampires. Whatever they are, they seem to draw their energy from the environment around them. … In some cases, it’s like we’re a source of food; they may be taking fear and, in simplistic terms, eating it.” (pp. 175, 177)
If the time-travel scenario does have some validity, then perhaps these anomalies are due to the Men in Black occasionally screwing up when trying to gauge the fashions and modes of transport of the many eras to which they are constantly traveling. (p. 210)
Ray Boeche: “It may not be what it purports to be. I think these forces can play on our own mental predispositions of what we expect to see.” (p. 224)
This last comment from Boeche raises the possibility that the MIB are engaging in a form of mimicry, molding their appearance to the expectations of civilians who might expect, or not be too surprised, to receive a visit from the authorities. This might have the effect not only of silencing the witness, but of throwing off any official investigation.
In late 2023, Colm Kelleher, who worked with Bob Bigelow’s NIDS and the AAWSAP program at Skinwalker Ranch, said: “I think there’s enough evidence in the literature to indicate that the phenomenon [i.e. the UFO/alien phenomenon] may be associated with some cases of what we call Men In Black.” Similarly, Jim Lacatski, the DIA program manager for AAWSAP, said:
What is the purpose of the Men In Black? We have encountered the Men in Black—the legitimate ones. … Is it to draw attention away from the UFO phenomenon, or using reverse psychology to draw attention to it—and the paranormal, of course. … I wanted to use an example of manipulating cultural variables. … You can also go off on the side a little bit and say – because I’ve talked to multiple people about this – are we in the realm of what would consider demonic influence?
Video of the 2008 Niagara Falls CCTV MIB case
Further reading
Articles
John Keel: “UFO ‘Agents of Terror.’” SAGA, October 1967, pp. 28-31, 72-81.
John Keel: “The UFO Silencers.” SAGA, May 1975, pp. 22-23, 60-64.
John Keel: “The Phantom UFO Informants.” SAGA, December 1975, pp. 14, 68-70.
Books
Gray Barker: They Knew Too Much about Flying Saucers (1956)
Albert K. Bender: Flying Saucers and the Three Men (1962)
Gray Barker: Men in Black: The Secret Terror Among Us (1983)
Timothy Green Beckley: The UFO Silencers: Mystery of the Men in Black (1990)
Jim Keith: Casebook of the Men in Black (1997)
Jenny Randles: The Truth Behind Men in Black: Government Agents — or Visitors from Beyond (1997)
Allen Greenfield: Secret Rituals of the Men in Black (2005)
Nick Redfern: On the Trail of the Saucer Spies: UFOs and Government Surveillance (2006)
Timothy Green Beckley: Curse of the Men in Black: Return of the UFO Terrorists (2010)
Nick Redfern: The Real Men In Black: Evidence, Famous Cases, and True Stories of These Mysterious Men and their Connection to UFO Phenomena (2011)
Nick Redfern: Men in Black: Personal Stories & Eerie Adventures (2015)
Nick Redfern: Women In Black: The Creepy Companions of the Mysterious M.I.B. (2017)