J. Edgar Hoover

John Edgar Hoover (January 1, 1895 – May 2, 1972) was the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) from May 10, 1924, until his death in 1972, having been appointed to that position as acting director by President Coolidge to reform and clean up the bureau, which was considered a haven of corruption. During his tenure, Hoover attained extraordinary power and unusual discretionary authority, while also feuding with many adversaries. Some of his contemporary detractors and now some historians suspect or accused him of having links to the Mafia, of gathering information for the purposes of blackmail and of being a closet homosexual while persecuting others with similar preferences.

FBI legacy

To date, Hoover is the longest-serving leader of an executive branch agency in the United States, having served under a record eight presidents, from Coolidge to Richard Nixon; indeed, it is because of Hoover that, since his tenure, FBI Directors have been limited to ten-year terms.

Related Topics:
United States - Richard Nixon

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Hoover is credited with creating an effective law enforcement organization, but has frequently been accused of exceeding and abusing his authority in blackmailing notable public figures and engaging in unwarranted political persecution. Hoover's COINTELPRO program allowed FBI agents to disrupt organizations such as the Black Panther Party, the Ku Klux Klan, and Martin Luther King Jr.'s SCLC, using methods including infiltration, legal harassment, and violence. Hoover habitually fired FBI agents, either randomly or by singling out those who "looked like truck drivers" or had "pointy heads." He was also notorious for assigning agents who had displeased him to career-ending jobs in cities with little need for an FBI presence.

Related Topics:
COINTELPRO - Black Panther Party - Ku Klux Klan - Martin Luther King Jr. - SCLC

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Nevertheless, in 1966, he received the Distinguished Achievement Award from President Lyndon Johnson for his role as Director of the FBI.

Related Topics:
1966 - Lyndon Johnson

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