Herbert Hoover

Overview

Herbert Hoover was a major figure in American political history. Engineer, humanitarian, and president whose reputation was defined by the Great Depression but whose career began with major relief efforts. This entry is designed to support a public-facing biography page and AI question answering connected to the assassination-attempts explorer.

Early life

Herbert Hoover was born in West Branch, Iowa, on August 10, 1874, to Jesse Clark Hoover and Hulda Randall Minthorn, devout Quakers. His father died when Herbert was six and his mother when he was nine, leaving him an orphan. He was sent to live with relatives in Oregon. He attended a Friends Pacific Academy (now George Fox University) preparatory program before working his way through the first class at the newly founded Stanford University, graduating with a geology degree in 1895.

Career

Hoover worked as a mining engineer in Australia and China, becoming a wealthy and internationally recognized expert. When World War I broke out, he organized the evacuation of 120,000 Americans stranded in Europe, then led the Commission for Relief in Belgium, feeding millions in German-occupied territory. After the U.S. entered the war, he served as U.S. Food Administrator, coordinating food production and conservation. He led the American Relief Administration after the armistice, delivering food to a starving Europe. His reputation as a brilliant administrator made him a dominant figure, and he served as an unusually active Secretary of Commerce under Presidents Harding and Coolidge (1921–1928).

Rise to prominence

Herbert Hoover became nationally significant through organized major world war i relief efforts, served as secretary of commerce.

Presidency & public issues

Key public issues associated with Herbert Hoover include Humanitarian relief, Great Depression, Limited government, International goodwill.

Assassination context

This individual is linked to one incident in the archive: Plot Against Herbert Hoover. The target survived the related event or events, or the plot did not reach the target.

Later life & death

Herbert Hoover died on October 20, 1964 in New York, New York.

Legacy

Herbert Hoover's legacy is commonly discussed through the themes of Humanitarian relief, Great Depression, Limited government, and through the way the related incident shaped public memory, security practices, or political history.

Key facts

Timeline

1. 1874-08-10

   Herbert Hoover born

   Herbert Hoover was born in West Branch, Iowa.

2. 1929-03-04

   31st President of the United States

   Herbert Hoover began service as 31st President of the United States.

3. 1928-11-06

   President-elect of the United States

   Herbert Hoover began service as President-elect of the United States.

4. 1964-10-20

   Herbert Hoover died

   Herbert Hoover died in New York, New York.

Sources

• Herbert Hoover — Britannica
• Herbert Hoover — Miller Center