Autograph of J. Edgar Hoover

Certified Authentic Autograph in Letter. John Edgar Hoover (1895-1972) was an American statesman who served as Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation for nearly half a century, from 1924 until his death in 1972. Heading the Bureau of Investigation (renamed the FBI in 1935 ) at the age of 29, Hoover in this post survived the Great Depression, Roosevelt's reforms, World War II, the first stages of the Cold War, the Korean and Vietnam Wars, always being one of the most influential figures in the United States. While noting Hoover's services to the country, many accused him of numerous abuses of power. The contradiction of his figure and the extraordinary length of his tenure became the reason that after him the maximum term of service for FBI directors was set at 10 years.