FBI 100 - Celebrations Begin
| Director Mueller and former FBI Directors William H. Webster, William S. Sessions, and Louis Freeh at the FBI’s centennial celebration. |
FBI 100
Let the Celebrations Begin
07/17/08
In the summer of 1908, an Attorney General named Charles Bonaparte cobbled together a band of 34 investigators into an experimental force of federal crime-fighters.
Over the past century, that unnamed force has evolved into today’s FBI—a full-fledged intelligence and national security agency, a highly-trained corps of more than 30,000 special agents and specialized professionals who work across the globe to combat some of the most dangerous threats facing the planet.
In nine days—on Saturday, July 26—the FBI will officially celebrate its 100th birthday and a century of service to the American people.
To help commemorate that anniversary, today has been proclaimed “FBI Day” by the President of the United States, and we held several special events in the nation’s capital.
View images from today’s events
Among the day’s activities:
- In the early morning, Director Mueller observed a moment of silence in honor of our fallen agents in front of a centennial memorial wreath at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.
- Later in the morning, the Director joined 2,000 guests from more than 100 countries—including a host of dignitaries, law enforcement officers, FBI employees, and others—at a special commemorative ceremony. Both the Director and Attorney General Michael Mukasey offered anniversary remarks. Also attending were former FBI Directors William S. Sessions, William H. Webster, and Louis Freeh, marking the first time that all four Directors were together. At the event, Director Mueller recognized our oldest living retired agent—Walter Walsh—and other heroes who serve our nation today.
- In the afternoon, Director Mueller joined our former Directors in dedicating the William H. Webster Conference Room at FBI Headquarters and Deputy Director John Pistole in hosting a reception for international dignitaries and our global partners.
The day’s events are just part of a series of commemorative activities taking place worldwide. In the recent weeks, the men and women of the Bureau—often in conjunction with their partners and the people they serve—have begun marking the anniversary in their own unique ways in our 56 local field offices across the country and in our 62 legal attachés around the world.
For example: our employees and offices are hosting open houses, holding commemorative banquets and receptions, putting up historical displays and exhibits, giving public speeches and profiling famous cases, and tapping into networks of retired agents for various special events and remembrances. They are even taking the opportunity to give back to their local communities—by visiting hospitals to honor military veterans, for instance.
| Watch the “Changing Faces of the FBI” video that shows the evolution of the Bureau over the past century. |
From now until July 26, we will also help celebrate our 100th anniversary by featuring a series of stories and videos here on this website. We’ll highlight some common myths about the FBI, recreate the scene of John Dillinger’s last moments, pay tribute to our fallen agents, and more. Stay tuned for the “Top Ten Moments in FBI History” on Friday.
Resources:
- National press release
- Director’s remarks
FBI 100 Series:
- Part 1: An Odd Couple of Crime
- Part 2: First Strike: Global Terror in America
- Part 3: The Lindbergh Kidnapping
- Part 4: The Unabomber
- Part 5: Bonnie and Clyde
- Part 6: The Kansas City Massacre
- The FBI History website