The other day – while attempting to hunt down documents for a researcher – I came across a folder labeled “F.B.I., 1963.” Being incurably nosy, an excellent trait in any archivist, I pulled the folder.  It contained the letters shown below, one of which is signed by J. Edgar Hoover. The other is a copy of the original which was sent to JEH from then Museum Director, E. Milby Burton (pictured left and end).  The copy, while not horribly exciting, does provide a bit of context for their written conversation. For those of us who knew Milby Burton (or more correctly, knew of him) it is understood that his acquaintances stretched far and wide.

But still one wonders – how did he meet J. Edgar Hoover? Was it during WWII, when Milby served as a naval intelligence officer? While that seems somewhat plausible, it doesn’t really satisfy the “need to know.”  And while Mr. Hoover’s response is not going to answer any burning questions that we might have about him, it is still a cool piece of history that was tucked away. You just never know what you are going to find…

– Jennifer Scheetz, Archivist