diff --git a/src/controllers/documents.controller.js b/src/controllers/documents.controller.js
index 717cbb30..49d81592 100644
--- a/src/controllers/documents.controller.js
+++ b/src/controllers/documents.controller.js
@@ -364,6 +364,114 @@ async function listArchivedDocuments(req, res) {
   }
 }
 
+/**
+ * Publish a document (admin only)
+ * POST /api/documents/:id/publish
+ *
+ * SECURITY: Explicit publish workflow prevents accidental exposure
+ * World-class UX: Clear validation messages guide admins
+ */
+async function publishDocument(req, res) {
+  try {
+    const { id } = req.params;
+    const { category, order } = req.body;
+
+    const result = await Document.publish(id, {
+      category,
+      order,
+      publishedBy: req.user?.email || 'admin'
+    });
+
+    if (!result.success) {
+      return res.status(400).json({
+        error: 'Bad Request',
+        message: result.message
+      });
+    }
+
+    logger.info(`Document published: ${id} by ${req.user?.email || 'admin'} (category: ${category})`);
+
+    res.json({
+      success: true,
+      message: result.message,
+      document: result.document
+    });
+
+  } catch (error) {
+    logger.error('Publish document error:', error);
+    res.status(500).json({
+      error: 'Internal Server Error',
+      message: error.message || 'An error occurred'
+    });
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Unpublish a document (admin only)
+ * POST /api/documents/:id/unpublish
+ */
+async function unpublishDocument(req, res) {
+  try {
+    const { id } = req.params;
+    const { reason } = req.body;
+
+    const result = await Document.unpublish(id, reason);
+
+    if (!result.success) {
+      return res.status(404).json({
+        error: 'Not Found',
+        message: result.message
+      });
+    }
+
+    logger.info(`Document unpublished: ${id} by ${req.user?.email || 'admin'} (reason: ${reason || 'none'})`);
+
+    res.json({
+      success: true,
+      message: result.message
+    });
+
+  } catch (error) {
+    logger.error('Unpublish document error:', error);
+    res.status(500).json({
+      error: 'Internal Server Error',
+      message: 'An error occurred'
+    });
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * List draft documents (admin only)
+ * GET /api/documents/drafts
+ */
+async function listDraftDocuments(req, res) {
+  try {
+    const { limit = 50, skip = 0 } = req.query;
+
+    const documents = await Document.listByWorkflowStatus('draft', {
+      limit: parseInt(limit),
+      skip: parseInt(skip)
+    });
+
+    res.json({
+      success: true,
+      documents,
+      pagination: {
+        total: documents.length,
+        limit: parseInt(limit),
+        skip: parseInt(skip)
+      }
+    });
+
+  } catch (error) {
+    logger.error('List draft documents error:', error);
+    res.status(500).json({
+      error: 'Internal Server Error',
+      message: 'An error occurred'
+    });
+  }
+}
+
 module.exports = {
   listDocuments,
   getDocument,
@@ -371,5 +479,8 @@ module.exports = {
   createDocument,
   updateDocument,
   deleteDocument,
-  listArchivedDocuments
+  listArchivedDocuments,
+  publishDocument,
+  unpublishDocument,
+  listDraftDocuments
 };
diff --git a/src/models/Document.model.js b/src/models/Document.model.js
index 39e636bf..2532b8a9 100644
--- a/src/models/Document.model.js
+++ b/src/models/Document.model.js
@@ -9,20 +9,38 @@ const { getCollection } = require('../utils/db.util');
 class Document {
   /**
    * Create a new document
+   *
+   * SECURITY: All new documents default to 'internal' visibility to prevent accidental exposure.
+   * Use publish() method to make documents public after review.
    */
   static async create(data) {
     const collection = await getCollection('documents');
 
+    // SECURITY: Require explicit visibility or default to 'internal' for safety
+    const visibility = data.visibility || 'internal';
+
+    // SECURITY: Validate visibility is a known value
+    const validVisibility = ['public', 'internal', 'confidential', 'archived'];
+    if (!validVisibility.includes(visibility)) {
+      throw new Error(`Invalid visibility: ${visibility}. Must be one of: ${validVisibility.join(', ')}`);
+    }
+
+    // SECURITY: Prevent accidental public uploads - require category for public docs
+    if (visibility === 'public' && (!data.category || data.category === 'none')) {
+      throw new Error('Public documents must have a valid category (not "none")');
+    }
+
     const document = {
       title: data.title,
       slug: data.slug,
       quadrant: data.quadrant, // STR/OPS/TAC/SYS/STO
       persistence: data.persistence, // HIGH/MEDIUM/LOW/VARIABLE
       audience: data.audience || 'general', // technical, general, researcher, implementer, advocate, business, developer
-      visibility: data.visibility || 'public', // public, internal, confidential, archived
+      visibility, // SECURITY: Defaults to 'internal', explicit required for 'public'
       category: data.category || 'none', // conceptual, practical, reference, archived, project-tracking, research-proposal, research-topic
       order: data.order || 999, // Display order (1-999, lower = higher priority)
       archiveNote: data.archiveNote || null, // Explanation for why document was archived
+      workflow_status: 'draft', // SECURITY: Track publish workflow (draft, review, published)
       content_html: data.content_html,
       content_markdown: data.content_markdown,
       toc: data.toc || [],
@@ -169,6 +187,128 @@ class Document {
     return result.deletedCount > 0;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Publish a document (make it public after review)
+   *
+   * SECURITY: Requires explicit category and validates document is ready
+   * World-class UX: Clear workflow states and validation feedback
+   *
+   * @param {string} id - Document ID
+   * @param {object} options - Publish options
+   * @param {string} options.category - Required category for public docs
+   * @param {number} options.order - Display order
+   * @returns {Promise<{success: boolean, message: string, document?: object}>}
+   */
+  static async publish(id, options = {}) {
+    const collection = await getCollection('documents');
+
+    // Get document
+    const doc = await this.findById(id);
+    if (!doc) {
+      return { success: false, message: 'Document not found' };
+    }
+
+    // Validate document is ready for publishing
+    if (!doc.content_markdown && !doc.content_html) {
+      return { success: false, message: 'Document must have content before publishing' };
+    }
+
+    // SECURITY: Require valid category for public docs
+    const category = options.category || doc.category;
+    if (!category || category === 'none') {
+      return {
+        success: false,
+        message: 'Document must have a valid category before publishing. Available categories: getting-started, technical-reference, research-theory, advanced-topics, case-studies, business-leadership, archives'
+      };
+    }
+
+    // Validate category is in allowed list
+    const validCategories = [
+      'getting-started', 'technical-reference', 'research-theory',
+      'advanced-topics', 'case-studies', 'business-leadership', 'archives'
+    ];
+    if (!validCategories.includes(category)) {
+      return {
+        success: false,
+        message: `Invalid category: ${category}. Must be one of: ${validCategories.join(', ')}`
+      };
+    }
+
+    // Update to public
+    const result = await collection.updateOne(
+      { _id: new ObjectId(id) },
+      {
+        $set: {
+          visibility: 'public',
+          category,
+          order: options.order !== undefined ? options.order : doc.order,
+          workflow_status: 'published',
+          'metadata.date_updated': new Date(),
+          'metadata.published_date': new Date(),
+          'metadata.published_by': options.publishedBy || 'admin'
+        }
+      }
+    );
+
+    if (result.modifiedCount > 0) {
+      const updatedDoc = await this.findById(id);
+      return {
+        success: true,
+        message: `Document published successfully in category: ${category}`,
+        document: updatedDoc
+      };
+    }
+
+    return { success: false, message: 'Failed to publish document' };
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Unpublish a document (revert to internal)
+   *
+   * @param {string} id - Document ID
+   * @param {string} reason - Reason for unpublishing
+   * @returns {Promise<{success: boolean, message: string}>}
+   */
+  static async unpublish(id, reason = '') {
+    const collection = await getCollection('documents');
+
+    const result = await collection.updateOne(
+      { _id: new ObjectId(id) },
+      {
+        $set: {
+          visibility: 'internal',
+          workflow_status: 'draft',
+          'metadata.date_updated': new Date(),
+          'metadata.unpublished_date': new Date(),
+          'metadata.unpublish_reason': reason
+        }
+      }
+    );
+
+    return result.modifiedCount > 0
+      ? { success: true, message: 'Document unpublished successfully' }
+      : { success: false, message: 'Failed to unpublish document' };
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * List documents by workflow status
+   *
+   * @param {string} status - Workflow status (draft, review, published)
+   * @param {object} options - List options
+   * @returns {Promise<Array>}
+   */
+  static async listByWorkflowStatus(status, options = {}) {
+    const collection = await getCollection('documents');
+    const { limit = 50, skip = 0, sort = { 'metadata.date_created': -1 } } = options;
+
+    return await collection
+      .find({ workflow_status: status })
+      .sort(sort)
+      .skip(skip)
+      .limit(limit)
+      .toArray();
+  }
+
   /**
    * List all documents
    */
diff --git a/src/routes/documents.routes.js b/src/routes/documents.routes.js
index a159da03..1ef49c19 100644
--- a/src/routes/documents.routes.js
+++ b/src/routes/documents.routes.js
@@ -25,6 +25,13 @@ router.get('/archived',
   asyncHandler(documentsController.listArchivedDocuments)
 );
 
+// GET /api/documents/drafts (admin only)
+router.get('/drafts',
+  authenticateToken,
+  requireRole('admin'),
+  asyncHandler(documentsController.listDraftDocuments)
+);
+
 // GET /api/documents
 router.get('/', (req, res, next) => {
   // Redirect browser requests to API documentation
@@ -72,4 +79,22 @@ router.delete('/:id',
   asyncHandler(documentsController.deleteDocument)
 );
 
+// POST /api/documents/:id/publish (admin only)
+// SECURITY: Explicit publish workflow with validation
+router.post('/:id/publish',
+  authenticateToken,
+  requireRole('admin'),
+  validateObjectId('id'),
+  validateRequired(['category']),
+  asyncHandler(documentsController.publishDocument)
+);
+
+// POST /api/documents/:id/unpublish (admin only)
+router.post('/:id/unpublish',
+  authenticateToken,
+  requireRole('admin'),
+  validateObjectId('id'),
+  asyncHandler(documentsController.unpublishDocument)
+);
+
 module.exports = router;