J. Edgar Hoover John Edgar Hoover ( January 1 , 1895 -- May 2 , 1972 ) was the first Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation ( FBI ) of the United States , appointed director of the Bureau of Investigation -- predecessor to the FBI -- in 1924 .
J. Edgar Hoover John Edgar Hoover ( January 1 , 1895 -- May 2 , 1972 ) was an American politician . He was the first Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation ( FBI ) of the United States .