The Complex Life of J. Edgar Hoover, the Man Who Built the FBI & Targeted MLK | Amanpour and Company

J. Edgar Hoover held the FBI in an iron grip during nearly 50 years as its director. Once popular, Hoover left behind a troubling legacy. Yale historian Beverly Gage examines his dominance over the agency in a major new biography. She speaks with Michel Martin about the man, his career, and his lasting influence.

Originally aired on January 4, 2023

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Amanpour and Company features wide-ranging, in-depth conversations with global thought leaders and cultural influencers on the issues and trends impacting the world each day, from politics, business and technology to arts, science and sports. Christiane Amanpour leads the conversation on global and domestic news from London with contributions by prominent journalists Walter Isaacson, Michel Martin, Alicia Menendez and Hari Sreenivasan from the Tisch WNET Studios at Lincoln Center in New York City.

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[asbeautifulasasunset]

She doesn't talk about Hoover's blackmailing of political figures and Hollywood writers, actors, producers as well. JFK wanted to fire Hoover but couldn't because Hoover would blackmail him. JFK had to accept LBJ as his Vice President or it's likely Hoover would have discredited JFK by means of an affair he had. Hoover is practically synonymous with blackmail. That's how Hoover remained in power for so long. See youtube Video: "J. Edgar Hoover the man who rebuilt the FBI | Dark Side of the FBI". Also, investigative journalist and author, Whitney Webb, has written two volumes that every American should probably read: One Nation Under Blackmail. The KIng family won a court case in 1999 that proved government involvement of Martin Luther King, Jr. Who was in charge of the the FBI at the time? Who hated King with an "insane" hatred? Don't whitewash Hoover. He didn't stay in power because he was a "good bureaucrat".

[sxt]

The wildest contradiction about J. Edgar Hoover is that he was openly gay but secretly African American

[timothyfreeseha]

I think the Biogapher makes such an important observation in pointing out that Hoover could not have done with his office what he allegedly did- good or bad, without the wide support he had in doing anything. It gives you pause to consider the leaders we have now & the transport they have in the support they have behind the scenes.

[johnmaisonneuve]

I read the book, couldn’t put down. What a read! Super scholarship! Learned so much.

[leemdynamo]

Part of the reason for Hoover's "popularity" was the way he maintained secrecy, even to the point of using FBI Agents to intimidate those who spoke out critically. I do not believe his relentless campaign against Dr. King was supported by the public. The fact is the public did not know about many of the things Hoover was doing. There is some gray here and that confuses matters. He made public statements about King. Most of what Hoover did with respect to Dr. King was done secretively. Hoover placed ads in newspapers about Dr. King's public appearances because he wanted white southerners to cause trouble at those events. James Earl Ray saw one of these ads and thus knew about Dr. King's appearance in Memphis. J. Edgar Hoover bears direct responsibility for Dr. King's death. J Edgar Hoover subverted the functioning of his agency.

[markrobinowitz]

For a follow up, the show could interview Dexter King, son of MLK Jr. Dexter and the family filed a lawsuit in 1999 against one of the participants in the murder of Martin in Memphis. 2, 700 pages of trial transcript is posted on the website of the King Center in Atlanta. Hoover didn't just smear MLK, he was complicit in his assassination. This is not a "theory, " merely inconvenient history. I hope the guest's book mentions this and other aspects of COINTELPRO, the FBI's attacks on civil rights, peace and other social movements. Much more interesting than the fact Hoover was a self-loathing gay man who was in a de facto marriage with Clyde Tolson.

[jo-annerichardson]

Great Interview. Definitely going to get the book.

[TTM]

Excellent, excellent interview. Excellent, concise questions, well-articulated answers. I had no idea there were so few biographies about him, I figured there would be lots. He certainly appears in OTHER people's biographies plenty, that's for sure! 🤣

[karenwaddell]

My father said Hoover was wicked in the 60s.

[Happyherm]

I’m not surprised to hear about his treatment of Martin Luther King’s family. He would also use the power of the FBI to end personal relationships his friends disapproved of. Joseph Berry Keenan, Assistant Attorney General under Franklin Delano Roosevelt, enlisted his friend Hoover to send FBI agents to the University of Arizona to break up Keenan’s daughter’s relationship with a young man there. They terrorized the young man into breaking up with Betty Jean Keenan. Her father was proud of it. She never married. She said in her 70s that the only man she ever wanted, her father had Hoover terrorize and chase away. She became a nun, deacon and educator.

[DJS]

What about how Hoover's homosexuality and his secret life of gay sex affected his role? How the fact that the Mafia blackmailed him to leave them alone for 40 years? The New Yorker wrote about that extensively. Hoover wanted to make sure people knew about King's affairs so thy would not look at Hoover's. He also blackmailed congressmen and JFK and Bobby to keep his job and get his way. The blackmail is how he kept his job.

[charlesrovira]

It must have been made more complex by *Hoover's* predilection for _pinafores, gingham, _ and _patterned dresses._ 
The poor man never got to wear any of his elbow-length sequined gloves and [expletive]-me pumps _outside._

[lukehanley]

Pretty soft take on J Edgar Hoover. "How'd he stay in power so long? Many reasons a lot of it luck" Hmmm, and illegal blackmail files on everyone in power.

[gregknipe]

having dirt on everyone and anyone did a lot to conserve his place in office. ideology has no place in law enforcement. classic cult of personality on a mafioso scale.

[mjford]

Well, she's not a revisionist. Wonder if the agency wrote this for Yale's BG like they wrote all of Hoovers books for him. Hope to see this terrible man's name off the FBI building in my life time.

[g]

Strange how this is on Mr. Rodgers network???? Won't you be my neighbor 👺🌞🫥

[pj]

Please read Asbeautifulasasunset’s comment and my reply.