The People vs J Edgar Hoover

Hoover’s death starts a race to control his secret personal files. But his power extends beyond the grave.

J Edgar Hoover built then ran the FBI for almost five decades. He turned it from a bureaucratic backwater into a premier crime fighting and counterintelligence force. In the process, he arguably became America’s most powerful man. He’s been dead 50 years and still his shadow looms over the US. Today’s fears of a ‘deep state’ - of unaccountable government officials working against the public in their own interest – can be traced back to him. In the first of an 8-part series, Emily shows how though his job was to enforce the law...he would not always be bound by it.

Correction note: The programme incorrectly identifies the Church Committee as the Church Commission.

Producer: Neal Razzell

Hoover begins to lose control of the American narrative.

Amateur burglars risk all to go after Hoover’s secrets.

Martin Luther King Jr crosses Hoover's radar. It doesn't end well.

J Edgar Hoover built then ran the FBI for almost five decades. He turned it from a bureaucratic backwater into a premier crime fighting and counterintelligence force. In the process, he arguably became America’s most powerful man. He’s been dead 50 years and still his shadow looms over the US. Today’s fears of a ‘deep state’ - of unaccountable government officials working against the public in their own interest – can be traced back to him. In this 8-part series, Emily Maitlis shows how though his job was to enforce the law...he would not always be bound by it.

Producer: Neal Razzell

Hoover fans paranoia as his spy machine goes after Communists - real and imagined. J Edgar Hoover built then ran the FBI for almost five decades. He turned it from a bureaucratic backwater into a premier crime fighting and counterintelligence force. In the process, he arguably became America’s most powerful man. He’s been dead 50 years and still his shadow looms over the US. Today’s fears of a ‘deep state’ - of unaccountable government officials working against the public in their own interest – can be traced back to him. In the first of an 8-part series, Emily shows how though his job was to enforce the law...he would not always be bound by it.

The Japanese attack Pearl Harbor creates an awkward moment for the domestic intelligence chief. J Edgar Hoover built then ran the FBI for almost five decades. He turned it from a bureaucratic backwater into a premier crime fighting and counterintelligence force. In the process, he arguably became America’s most powerful man. He’s been dead 50 years and still his shadow looms over the US. Today’s fears of a ‘deep state’ - of unaccountable government officials working against the public in their own interest – can be traced back to him. His job was to enforce the law...but he would not always be bound by it.

Hoover takes on legendary gangsters of the 1930s and builds his own myth. J Edgar Hoover built then ran the FBI for almost five decades. He turned it from a bureaucratic backwater into a premier crime fighting and counterintelligence force. In the process, he arguably became America’s most powerful man. He’s been dead 50 years and still his shadow looms over the US. Today’s fears of a ‘deep state’ - of unaccountable government officials working against the public in their own interest – can be traced back to him. His job was to enforce the law...but he would not always be bound by it.

Emily Maitlis on the ascent to power of the man who made presidents wait. J Edgar Hoover built then ran the FBI for almost five decades. He turned it from a bureaucratic backwater into a premier crime fighting and counterintelligence force. In the process, he arguably became America’s most powerful man. He’s been dead 50 years and still his shadow looms over the US. Today’s fears of a ‘deep state’ - of unaccountable government officials working against the public in their own interest – can be traced back to him. In the first of an 8-part series, Emily shows how though his job was to enforce the law...he would not always be bound by it.

In life, Hoover needed no introduction. In death, he needs this series teaser. Emily Maitlis tells how he built and ran the FBI and helped create today’s fears of a “deep state”.