Federal Bureau of Investigation

In this episode, we focus on the history of the FBI, tracing its origins from its establishment in 1908 as a small investigative force within the Department of Justice to its growth into the United States’ leading domestic intelligence and federal law enforcement agency. The episode explores how the Bureau’s mission expanded over the twentieth century, including its role in protecting civil rights, confronting organized crime, investigating public corruption, and responding to national security threats. It also examines the long and controversial influence of J. Edgar Hoover, the FBI’s transformation after the September 11 attacks, and the major historical controversies that have shaped public trust, legal oversight, and the Bureau’s modern identity.