J. Edgar Hoover
Born in Washington DC in 1895, J. Edgar Hoover entered the Justice Department in 1917 and soon became the mastermind of the Palmer Raids.  In 1924 he was made director of the FBI, and remained in that position for 48 years until his death in 1972.  During that time he had fierce supporters and detractors.  He was praised as the greatest crime fighter in US history, and feared for the way he used the Bureau's surveillance and intelligence gathering to intimidate his opponents, including US presidents.  Many questions remain about his motivation and private life.
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