Celebrating Women’s History Month

Women have served in the FBI since its earliest days in a variety of professional support positions. The first women special agents verified by our current records served in the 1920s, but it would be another half century—1972—before social mores would change and female special agents would become a regular and vital part of the FBI. Today, we employ more than 15,000 women, with over 2,600 serving as special agents. Visit the photo gallery for a walk through the history of women in the FBI.

Identification Division Worker

In the summer of 1924, Director J. Edgar Hoover created an Identification Division (informally called “Ident” in the organization for many years to come) to gather fingerprints from police agencies nationwide and to search them upon request for matches to criminals and evidence. Many women worked in Ident, including this individual in the 1930s.

Helen Gandy

Helen Gandy joined the Bureau in 1918 and worked exclusively for J. Edgar Hoover from 1921 (when he was named assistant director, with his appointment as Director coming in 1924) until his death on May 2, 1972. Serving over time as secretary, administrative assistant, and executive assistant, she took charge of Hoover’s office and eventually supervised her own staff, becoming a legendary figure in the Bureau and playing a key role in shaping the evolving FBI over five decades. This picture was taken with Hoover in March 1953 as Gandy celebrated her 35th anniversary with the Bureau. Gandy passed away in 1988.