J. Edgar Hoover, who directed the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for eight different presidents over a forty-eight-year period, dominated federal law enforcement through much of the twentieth century. Hoover, however, was also a controversial figure. He maintained his power in Washington, D.C., in part by amassing enormous amounts of information on enemies both real and perceived. Many allege that Hoover regarded constitutional rights as an inconvenience and routinely engaged in illegal activities and “dirty tricks” in the investigation not only of criminals but also of those who held political beliefs he considered a threat to American security. His targets included such figures as the civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., and Abbie Hoffman, leading member of the Youth International Party (Yippies) and one of the Chicago Seven, a group charged with conspiracy and inciting to riot for protests that took place in Chicago, Illinois, at the 1968 Democratic National Convention.