Description:

J. Edgar Hoover
[Washington, D.C.], January 21, 1953
J. Edgar Hoover 1953 TLS Re: Florence Kahn, "Mother of FBI," As Well As Eisenhower's Inauguration, R. Nixon & H. Hoover
TLS
A 2pp typed letter signed by J. Edgar Hoover (1895-1972), then Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as "Edgar" near the bottom of the second page. January 21, 1953. [Washington, D.C.] On watermarked paper with "Federal Bureau of Investigation / United States Department of Justice / Washington, D.C." letterhead. Expected light paper folds, minor wrinkles, and isolated smudges. Else near fine. 7" x 9.125."

J. Edgar Hoover wrote this letter to his California pen pal, Elizabeth B. Ehrman née Bissinger (1883-1976), a married woman with seven sons who lived at the "Oliver Acres" estate in Atherton, California. In the beginning of the letter, Hoover refers to a mutual friend of his and Ehrman's: Florence Prag Kahn (1866-1948), the first Jewish woman to serve in the U.S. Congress. The Republican Kahn represented California's 4th District, in the area just northwest of San Francisco, from 1925-1937. During her congressional tenure, Kahn offered such unflagging support to the nascent Bureau of Investigation that Hoover called her the "mother of the FBI."

Hoover continues by describing the weary but elated atmosphere in Washington, D.C. the day after the first inauguration of 34th U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890-1964) and Vice President Richard M. Nixon (1913-1994) on January 20, 1953. Hoover also describes how crowds received the other Hoover in the presidential motorcade: 31st U.S. President Herbert Hoover (1874-1964).

J. Edgar Hoover wrote in part:

"The spirit that pervaded through Washington would have thrilled you. Even though the town was crowded beyond its capacity, there being about 500,000 people who came to Washington to see the parade, and services of all kind broke down, no one seemed petulant or disagreeable about it. There was an air of happiness and, as you have indicated, great expectation for good. The religious note which attached to the actual swearing in of the President was most impressive and certainly the new President starts out with the best wishes, I think, of more of our American citizens than anyone in the past has had…"

Eisenhower's inauguration was more overtly religious than his predecessors, which Hoover approved. Eisenhower was sworn in on not one but two Bibles, the copy George Washington used in 1789 and his own personal "West Point" Bible, and he substituted a personal prayer of his own composition in lieu of kissing the Bible, as was tradition.

J. Edgar Hoover's name is synonymous with the intelligence agency that he helped found in 1935: the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The detective served as Director of the Bureau of Investigation (the FBI's predecessor) from 1924-1935, and as Director of the FBI from its inception until his death in 1972. While Hoover took many liberties with the information he collected, critics agree that he also built up, enlarged, modernized, and legitimized the agency.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 7" x 9.125"
  • Medium: TLS

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