Everything Everywhere Daily · Saturday, September 26, 2026
The concept for the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list originated in 1949 from a conversation between FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover and William Kinsey Hutchinson, editor-in-chief of the International News Service. Hutchinson's request for fugitive information led to national attention and the establishment of the list.
“The FBI's Most Wanted list can trace its origins back to 1949. The list was the brainchild of two people, Hoover and the editor-in-chief of the International News Service, William Kinsey Hutchinson.”
“Hoover gave the reporter a list, which subsequently received national attention. And that attention helped bring in leads on the fugitives that Hoover had named.”
“Realizing that the most effective form of law enforcement was the cooperation and support of the American people, Hoover established the Top Ten List of Criminals.”