J.+Edgar+Hoover

= = = = =J. Edgar Hoover=
 * Note to parents and community members:** If there is any information on which you would like to comment or provide feedback/insight, please click on the discussion tab above. You must be a registered user. Please click here for those directions.

Biography:
J. Edgar Hoover was born on January 1, 1895 in Washington D.C. to Anna Scheiltis and Dickerson Hoover Sr. He graduated from the Washington University Law school in 1917. In the same year, he joined the US Department of Justice. Throughout World War I, Hoover worked for the Justice Department. In 1919, he became the head of the General Intelligence Devision of the Justice Department. Two years later, he joined the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). In 1924, the Attorney General made him acting director and on May 10, of the same year, President Calvin Coolidge made Edgar J. Hoover the director of the FBI. He served as director through eight presidential administrations. He was director through Prohibition, The Great Depression, World War II, the Korean War, the Cold War, and the Vietnam War. Furthermore, during his term, the United States became a world superpower. When he died on May 2, 1972, he had been director for 43 years.

Career:
J. Edgar Hoover was suspected of abusing his power as director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and abusing people's civil rights. It was believed that he fired many administrators and agents just because they looked "stupid like truck drivers" or they were "pinheads." It was thought that he investigated people and groups not because of criminal actions, but because of their political beliefs. During his term as director, the FBI used illegal actions such as, illegal surveillance, wiretaps, and burglaries. It is also said that he once became jealous of a young FBI agent by the name of Melvin Purvis. Purvis received a lot of public recognition and it is believed that because of of jealousy, Hoover maneuvered Purvis out of the FBI. Hoover was also credited with many accomplishments. During Hoover's time as director, he broke up many enemy spy rings and brought many criminals to justice. He also created the largest fingerprint file in the world plus he established a new FBI laboratory and expanded the number of FBI's recruits.

Bibliography:
[|www.fbi.gov] [|en.wikipedia.org]

Back