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Birth
John Edgar Hoover is born in Washington, D.C to parents Dickerson Naylor Hoover and Annie Marie Scheitlin Hoover. (The Apricity, n.d.) -
FBI Founded
(Wikipedia, n.d.) -
World War 1 Begins
WWI begins in July of 1914. (Library of Congress, 1909) -
John Edgar Graduates College
Hoover graduates from the George Washington University Law School. (FBI,1916) -
Hoover's first job
Hoover began his work in the government at the Department of Justice. (Clker, n.d.) -
Bombing of Attorney A. General Paul Mitchell's Home
Anarchists planted a series of bombs, targetting officials in the government who supported the anti-sedition laws and the deportation of immigrants suspected of crimes. Eight bombs were set off in eight different cities, including the house of Attorney General Paul Mitchell who survived a previous attack in April1919. (ExplorePAHistory, 1919) -
The Palmer Raids
After fear of communists and anarchists posing a threat to the United States, Hoover and Attorney General Palmer decide to meet with the Labor Department. They discussed using deportation laws to remove suspected traitors. On the second anniversary of the Bolshevik Revolution, the Bureau and local police completed a series of raids, arresting 650 within the Union, but only making 43 deportations. (The Palmer Raids, n.d.) -
The Deportation of Emma Goldman
Russian immigrant, Emma Goldman, was one of Hoover's main targets. Emma was an anarchist leader, known for her political activism, writing, and speeches. Hoover was convinced that she and her husband were two of the most dangerous anarchists in the country, Hoover planned on using the Anarchist Exclusion Act of 1918 to deport them. After the Palmer Raids and her deportation hearing, Goldman and her husband, along with 248 others were deported to Russia. (Bio,n.d.) -
Hoover becomes Director
(Imgs for Young J. Edgar Hoover, n.d.) -
Clyde Tolson hired
Clyde Tolson applied to the Bureau in 1927 but was rejected. One year later, he reapplies and is hired by Hoover. The two became close friends and Tolson moved up in rankings at an unusual pace, eventually making him Second in Command (Wikipedia, n.d.) -
Al Capone is convicted
After many years of prohibition and lawlessness, Capone was arrested for tax evasion. He was sentenced for 11 years in prison. Once he left Alcatraz he was too sick to carry on, and passed away soon after. The FBI had kept a close investigation on him, until he was finally convicted for his crimes. (FBI, 1929) -
Lindbergh Baby Kidnapping
Charles Lindbergh's baby was abducted from his family in East Amwell. New Jersey. All the kidnapper left was muddy footbprints and a ransom note. Due to the separation between the local and federal police, the Bureau had no jurisdiction to investigate. After a meeting with the Attorney General on March 2, Hoover promises to bring all those involved to justice. The child's body was found near the home on May 12, 1932. Congress then passed the Federal Kidnapping Act. (FBI,1932) -
Kansas City Massacre
Before this incident, lawmen and special agents rarely carried weapons, until numerous gangmen shot at a convoy of officers transporting an escaped conman back to a prison. Officers were killed, so weapons were more commonly carried around. (FBI, 1933) -
John Dillinger's Death
After many years of crime, John Dillinger was tracked down and shot in the streets of Chicago by special agents. -
Lindbergh Kidnapper Arrested
President Roosevelt gives the Bureau of Investigation full jurisdiction to assist in the case in 1933. Thanks to Hoover's contributions to the advancements in science and technology the kidnappers are finally identified. Richard Bruno Hauptmann is arrested on September 19. The following year, Hauptmann is convicted of kidnapping and murder and sentenced to death. (Bruno Richard Hauptmann Biography, n.d.) -
FBI prepares for War.
Before Pearl Harbor was even bombed, the FBI was asked to prepare America for any wartime enemies. President Franklin Roosevelt signed a secret order in June 1939 that put the FBI in charge of Homeland Security. -
World War II Begins
World War II begins after the unprovoked invasion of Poland by Germany. (Vox, 1939) -
Notorious Spies Captured
Due to many secret messages sent between the Bureau and the Soviet Union, spies tried taking some of our nation's most crucial secrets. Special Agent Robert Lamphere and cryptanalyst Meredith Gardner were both recognized for capturing 100's of Soviet spies and traitors away. -
Speech for the Internal Security Committee
Hoover gives a speech during a testimony before the senate internal security committee. (NPR, 1953) -
A Presidential Honor from Eisenhower
Hoover receives the National Security Medal from president Eisenhower while Vice President Nixon and others look on. (FBI, 1955) -
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Troubles with President Kennedy
Robert Kennedy had a strong distaste for Hoover because Hoover lacked attention towards the dangers of organized crime and was instead interested in leftist political groups and wiretapping. Hoover feared that Robert's brother, President Kennedy would fire him. Robert wanted to diminish Hoover's power and political involvement. Rumors have said that Hoover used blackmail to keep his position. -
Martin Luther King Jr. is Wiretapped
After Mr. King made his famous "I Have a Dream" speech, the FBI had a growing attention towards him. Robert Kennedy authorized the FBI to wiretap King's phone calls after being feared of being a communist sympathizer, The tapes showed little about communism but they did show embarassing details about King's sex life which were later used against him. -
Mississipi Burning
Three young men were traveling to the Mississippi to enable the voting rights of African-Americans when they disappeared. The FBI was called in to investigate, and their burnt station wagon, and bodies were found. The national outrage that followed allowed for the Voting Rights Act and the Civil Rights Act to pass, allowing the FBI to defend the rights and freedoms of all Americans. (NDLA, 1964) -
Big Changes in the Law
In October 1970, Congress passed the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, or RICO. This law enabled the FBI to go after larger enterprises, and go after the Mafia correctly. They could investigate the entire organizations and leaders instead of just individuals who may have committed the crime. This new legistlation and other new approaches like wiretraps and undercover agents, the FBI was able to take down entire Mob families, and bring down the crime rate and violence. -
Death
John Edgar Hoover dies of a heart attack at age 77. -
FBI Revelations Surfaced
After Hoover died in the early 70's, new intel of possible abuse in the intelligence community surfaced. Senator Frank Church opened a series of hearings where the FBI was criticized for it's investigations of Dr. MLK, it's surveillance practices, and other concerns. This caused the Bureau to change it's domestic security programs. This made for much clearer parameters in the investigations made by the FBI.
