Mission Statement

“Now more than five decades old, Herbert Hoover’s 1959 statement to the Board of Trustees of Stanford University on the purpose and scope of the Hoover Institution continues to guide and define its mission in the twenty-first century. “This Institution supports the Constitution of the United States, its Bill of Rights and its method of representative government. Both our social and economic systems are based on private enterprise from which springs initiative and ingenuity…. Ours is a system where the Federal Government should undertake no governmental, social or economic action, except where local government, or the people, cannot undertake it for themselves…. The overall mission of this Institution is, from its records, to recall the voice of experience against the making of war, and by the study of these records and their publication, to recall man’s endeavors to make and preserve peace, and to sustain for America the safeguards of the American way of life. This Institution is not, and must not be, a mere library. But with these purposes as its goal, the Institution itself must constantly and dynamically point the road to peace, to personal freedom, and to the safeguards of the American system.” 

Current day

Scholarship and Research: Hoover fellows engage in scholarly and empirical research that tackles bold questions, offers powerful solutions for policymakers, and advances ideas to improve people’s lives. Their work spans various areas, including economics, history, governance, and public opinion.

Policy Solutions: Hoover scholars create breakthrough ideas aligned with the institution’s mission. Their research is characterized by empirical rigor, intellectual depth, and historical context. Hoover’s hallmark lies in its uncompromising, independent policy scholarship.

Research Teams: Hoover has several active teams dedicated to conducting research in areas of public policy. These teams host symposia, engage in dialogues with policymakers, and produce multimedia content such as essays, newsletters, and podcasts.

Fellowship Opportunities: The institution provides opportunities for students, policy makers, military veterans, and media professionals to take sabbaticals, engage with Hoover fellows, and broaden their perspectives on policy issues. Topics include international relations, economics, cybersecurity, healthcare, and more.

Communications: Hoover not only produces high-quality public policy research but also disseminates these ideas to audiences in the United States and globally. It aims to turn scholarly conclusions into actionable policies.

Leadership: The Hoover Institution is led by Tad and Dianne Taube Director Condoleezza Rice, with Eric Wakin serving as the deputy director and director of Library & Archives.

Timeline of events

1914-1918: World War I rages across Europe, prompting Herbert Hoover to conceive the idea of gathering materials related to the war while organizing humanitarian relief for Belgium.

1919: The Hoover Institution is established, with the founding document being a telegram from Herbert Hoover to Stanford president Ray Lyman Wilbur, offering $50,000 for collecting World War I materials.

1921: The first shipment of materials arrives at Stanford for the Hoover War Collection, including documents collected by Hoover himself during his time in Europe.

1926: The Hoover Institution Press is established, publishing bibliographical series describing the library and archival collections.

1928: Herbert Hoover, later the 31st President of the United States, is nominated as the Republican presidential candidate.

1929-1933: Hoover’s presidency faces challenges, including the stock market crash in 1929. Despite initial popularity, his tenure becomes more objectively evaluated over time.

1957: The institution is renamed the Hoover Institution on War, Revolution, and Peace.

1959: Stanford’s Board of Trustees officially establishes the Hoover Institution as an independent institution within Stanford University.