BIOGRAPHY AND PERSONALITY OF A FAMOUS LEO: HERBERT HOOVER

Businessman, government official, former president of the United States. Born on August 10, 1874, in West Branch, Iowa. Herbert Hoover served as the 31st president of the United States. Orphaned at the age of nine, he went to live with relatives. Hoover attended Stanford University, graduating with a degree in geology in 1895. He then worked in mining and engineering at home and abroad.

Hoover married his college sweetheart, Lou Henry, in 1899. The couple went to China where Hoover worked to develop mines for the government there and were caught up in the Boxer Rebellion of 1900 when a group rose up against foreigners. They were eventually able to leave the country. Undeterred from the dangers they faced in China, the couple continued to travel as Herbert Hoover worked business projects around the world for a number of years. 

During World War I, Hoover first became noticed for his public service. He helped Americans trapped in Europe to get home safely and oversaw relief efforts in Belgium. In 1917, Hoover was appointed by President Woodrow Wilson to serve as U.S. food administrator. After the war ended, he worked to help people whose lives were devastated by the fighting through his work with the American Relief Administration.

Joining the cabinet of President Warren G. Harding, Hoover became the secretary of commerce in 1921. As secretary he sought to revamp the department to make it more efficient. Hoover also worked to standardize manufacturing practices and develop new markets for American goods.

A popular figure in the Republican Party, Hoover became its presidential candidate in 1928. He won the election, defeating Alfred E. Smith. Hoover pledged to improve the government structure, reform business practices, and change the child welfare system. He also noticed the rapidly rising stock market and tried to put a stop on the wild speculation being by people buying on margin. But he was unable to prevent the stock market crash of 1929.

That event marked the beginning of a financial crisis for the nation known as the Great Depression. Hoover’s opposition to providing direct government assistance to the thousands of people without work cost him a lot of public support. By 1931, he had caved a bit on his position, providing food to the needy, launching public works projects to provide jobs, and authorizing aid to farmers. But this was seen by some as too little too late. Hoover lost his bid for re-election in 1932 to Franklin D. Roosevelt.

After leaving the White House, Hoover returned to California. He served as chairman of the board of the Boys’ Clubs of America. During World War II, Hoover created the Polish Relief Commission and later ran the Famine Emergency Commission for President Harry S Truman.

In his final official act, Hoover was the U.S. representative to the 1958 World’s Fair in Brussels, Belgium. He died on October 20, 1964. 

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