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John Edgar Hoover Research Paper

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The biggest name in 20th century American law enforcement in United States history is John Edgar Hoover. John Edgar Hoover was the first Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He was appointed in 1924 and died in office in 1972. He stayed in power from President Calvin Coolidge to President Richard Nixon. His agents brought down some of the most notorious crime bosses in the U.S. He had changed the way police look at crime scenes. John Edgar Hoover was born on January 01, 1895 in Washington, D.C. His parents’ names were Dickerson Naylor Hoover, Sr. and Annie Marie Scheitlin Hoover. John Edgar Hoover had several siblings brother, Dickerson, Jr. and a sister, Lillian. He also had a younger sister, Sadie Marguerite, who died at the …show more content…

The employees that worked for the Director had to undergo re-evaluation by passing things like basic training, and background checks. He had fired all agents who seemed political appointees or unqualified to be a special agent. Passing basic training and the background checks became a requirement progressing forward to becoming a special agent. The FBI became essential to every crime related to gangs and terrorism. Gangs had spread like wildfire over the next several years and the crime rate went up as well. Hoover started many investigation where he illegally surveillance many political and government officials. Gangs were committing crimes left and right, when the gang members would get caught they would pay off the arresting officer. That was how many people were getting away with petty thefts and pickpocketing. Gangs in Chicago had rivalry like leaders such as The Irish North Side Gang and South Side Italian Chicago Outfit gangs fought over territory. Hoover had his agents chase many gangsters all over the country from John Dillinger, Al “Scarface” Capone, and George “Bugs” Moran to many more. After a while Hoover knew that he needed to be on a “deeper” level if he wanted to find his culprits sooner rather than later. By this time there had been 12,000 murders happening in America every year. Hoover knew he had to something about the crimes. Weapons were left on crime scenes and fingerprints were there …show more content…

The FBI got involved in every terrorism, espionage, counter espionage, sabotage, counter sabotage, kidnapping, and car theft cases. While Hoover’s success at legitimate crime fighting was modest, his hold over many powerful people and organizations earned him respect and kept him in power. A lot of people believed that John Edgar Hoover was gay and his lover was Clyde Anderson Tolson. Hoover didn’t have wife or any children that anyone knew of. He spent a lot of time with Clyde like going on strolls and going for rides in Atlantic City, New Jersey. As they spent more time together many people had thought Mr. Hoover was homosexual but it was never proven. Before he passed away he ended up having a file on almost everyone with a criminal or minor record. Mr. Hoover had files on everyone that held government office and/or was a public official. He stayed in office until the day he died on May 2, 1972 and upon his passing, Tolson inherited the estate and fortune but later when he died later on April 14, 1975, he was buried just a few yards away from his former director and close friend, Mr. John Edgar Hoover. Before Mr. Hoover had known it, he had created the best way to stop criminals. Mr. Hoover won a number of awards before he passed that included a 1955 National Security Medal, a 1939 Public Welfare Medal, and a 1966 Distinguished

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