Herbert Hoover

Herbert Clark Hoover (August 10, 1874 – October 20, 1964) is best known as being the 31st President of the United States (1929-1933). However, prior to that, he was a successful mining engineer, humanitarian, and administrator. He had the longest retirement of any U.S. President and died 31 years after leaving office, during the administration of Lyndon Johnson — his fifth successor.

Post-Presidency

His opponents in Congress, whom he felt were sabotaging his program for their own political gain, painted him as a callous and cruel president.

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Hoover was badly defeated in the U.S. presidential election, 1932. After Roosevelt assumed the presidency, Hoover became a critic of the New Deal, warning against tendencies toward statism. His misgivings are in the book The Challenge to Liberty where he talks of fascism, communism, and socialism as enemies of traditional American liberties.

Related Topics:
U.S. presidential election, 1932 - New Deal - Statism - Fascism - Communism - Socialism

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In 1947, President Harry S. Truman appointed Hoover to a commission, which elected him chairman, to reorganize the executive departments. This became known as the Hoover Commission. He was appointed chairman of a similar commission by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1953. Many economies resulted from both commissions' recommendations. Over the years, Hoover wrote many articles and books, one of which he was working on when he died at the age of 90 in New York City on October 20, 1964 at 11:35 AM, 31 years and seven months after leaving office. He had outlived his wife by 20 years. By the time of his death, he had rehabilitated his image and died praised as a beloved statesman. His was the longest retirement of any President. (Gerald Ford is now a close contender, and as of 2005, he has been out of office for 28 years). Hoover and his wife are buried at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum in West Branch, Iowa.

Related Topics:
1947 - Harry S. Truman - Commission - Hoover Commission - Dwight D. Eisenhower - 1953 - New York City - October 20 - 1964 - Gerald Ford - As of 2005 - Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum - West Branch, Iowa

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The Lou Henry and Herbert Hoover House, built in 1919 in Palo Alto, California, is now the official residence of the President of Stanford University, and a National Historic Landmark.

Related Topics:
1919 - Palo Alto, California - National Historic Landmark

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