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Title
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Hoover, Lou Henry (1874-1944)
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Source
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National Archives
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birthday
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1874-03-29
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Birthplace
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Waterloo, IA
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Death Date
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1944-01-07
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Occupation
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Humanitarian
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Geologist
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Philanthropist
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Women's rights activist
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Biographical Text
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Lou Henry Hoover grew up in California. As a child she was very active in sports such as baseball, basketball, and archery. In 1893, she attended Stanford University and was the first female geology major in the United States. It was at Stanford that Lou Henry met her future husband, Herbert Hoover, a fellow geology major. The two would later marry in 1899. The day after the marriage the new couple left for China for Hoover to work under the Chinese government investigating their mines. The couple settled down in the city of Tientsin where Lou learned how to speak and write Chinese. The Hoovers lived in China until 1900 when the Boxer Rebellion forced them to take refuge for a month. The hoovers moved to London from China and London would be their primary home while they traveled. Their work made them travel to places such as Europe, Australia, Burma, Egypt, India, and Japan. Lou Henry would help Herbert in work because she was a trained geologist. Lou Hoover engaged with the public often. When in London she engaged in many different philanthropic activities such as joining the Friends of the Poor, Society of American Women, the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, and more. When Lou heard of World War I she reorganized the society of American Women to be a humanitarian group which helped transport Americans that were stranded in Britain. The hoovers moved back to the United states in 1917 and lived in Washington D.C. Lou became involved with the Girl Scouts of the USA and became the group’s president from 1922-1925. Herbert was a candidate for the 1928 presidential election which would win and make Lou First Lady of the United States. Lou refused to give interviews and did not seem to care much for her public appearance, but she would participate in broadcasts where she would advocate for feminist ideals. After leaving office, the Hoovers returned to Iowa. Lou returned to the Girl Scouts as president again from 1935-1937. She would spend the rest of her life advocating for women’s rights, athletics, and education.
Lou and Herbert had two sons, Herbert Jr. in 1903 and Allan in 1907. The sons would travel with them in Europe until their return to America in 1917. Lou Henry Hoover died of a heart attack in New York City in 1944. Her husband found her in their home and was devastated. He never remarried. Herbert found hundreds of checks for her charity work that she refused to cash.
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Contributor
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Pryor, Erin
