What are the Attorney General's names in American history

What are the Attorney General's names in American history

The Department of Justice traces its beginning to the First Congress meeting in New York in 1789, at which time the Congress devoted itself to creating the infrastructure for operating the Federal Government. After meeting for several months the legislators passed a bill known as the Judiciary Act that provided for the organization and administration of the judicial branch of the new government, and included in that Act was a provision for appointment of “…a meet person, learned in the law, to act as attorney-general for the United States…”

Although it would be nearly another century before Congress would create the Department of Justice, the establishment of the Attorney General position marks the true beginning of the Department. The Judiciary Act was passed by Congress and signed by President George Washington on September 24, 1789, making the Attorney General position the fourth in the order of creation by Congress of those positions that have come to be defined as Cabinet level positions.

Learn more about the distinguished Americans who have served as Attorney General below.

Attorney General Merrick B. Garland
Garland, Merrick B.
2021 to Present
Speeches
Potrait photo of AG William Pelham Barr
Barr, William Pelham
2019 to 2020
Speeches
Portrait photo of AG Jeff  Sessions
Sessions, Jeff
2017 to 2018
Speeches

Lynch, Loretta E.
2015 to 2017
Speeches

Holder, Eric H. Jr.
2009 to 2015
Speeches

Mukasey, Michael B.
2007 to 2009
Speeches

Gonzales, Alberto R.
2005 to 2007
Speeches

Ashcroft, John David
2001 to 2005
Speeches

Reno, Janet
1993 to 2001
Speeches

Barr, William Pelham
1991 to 1993
Speeches

Thornburgh, Richard Lewis
1988 to 1991
Speeches

Meese, Edwin III
1985 to 1988
Speeches

Smith, William French
1981 to 1985
Speeches

Civiletti, Benjamin Richard
1979 to 1981
Speeches

Bell, Griffin Boyette
1977 to 1979
Speeches

Levi, Edward Hirsch
1975 to 1977
Speeches

Saxbe, William Bart
1974 to 1975
Speeches

Richardson, Elliot Lee
1973 to 1973
Speeches

Kleindienst, Richard Gordon
1972 to 1973
Speeches

Mitchell, John Newton
1969 to 1972
Speeches

Clark, William Ramsey
1967 to 1969
Speeches

Katzenbach, Nicholas
1965 to 1966
Speeches

Kennedy, Robert Francis
1961 to 1964
Speeches

Rogers, William Pierce
1957 to 1961
Speeches

Brownell, Herbert Jr.
1953 to 1957
Speeches

McGranery, James Patrick
1952 to 1953
Speeches

McGrath, James Howard
1949 to 1952
Speeches

Clark, Thomas Campbell
1945 to 1949
Speeches

Biddle, Francis Beverly
1941 to 1945
Speeches

Jackson, Robert Houghwout
1940 to 1941
Speeches

Murphy, Frank
1939 to 1940
Speeches

Cummings, Homer Stillé
1933 to 1939
Speeches

Mitchell, William Dewitt
1929 to 1933

Sargent, John Garibaldi
1925 to 1929

Stone, Harlan Fiske
1924 to 1925

Daugherty, Harry Micajah
1921 to 1924

Palmer, Alexander Mitchell
1919 to 1921

Gregory, Thomas Watt
1914 to 1919

McReynolds, James Clark
1913 to 1914

Wickersham, George Woodward
1909 to 1913

Bonaparte, Charles Joseph
1906 to 1909

Moody, William Henry
1904 to 1906

Knox, Philander Chase
1901 to 1904

Griggs, John William
1898 to 1901

McKenna, Joseph
1897 to 1898

Harmon, Judson
1895 to 1897

Olney, Richard
1893 to 1895

Miller, William Henry Harrison
1889 to 1893

Garland, Augustus Hill
1885 to 1889

MacVeagh, Isaac Wayne
1881 to 1881

Brewster, Benjamin Harris
1881 to 1885

Devens, Charles
1877 to 1881

Taft, Alphonso
1876 to 1877

Edwards Pierrepont
1875 to 1876

Williams, George Henry
1871 to 1875

Akerman, Amos Tappan
1870 to 1871

Hoar, Ebenezer Rockwood
1869 to 1870

Evarts, William Maxwell
1868 to 1869

Stanbery, Henry
1866 to 1868

Speed, James
1864 to 1866

Bates, Edward
1861 to 1864

Stanton, Edwin McMasters
1860 to 1861

Black, Jeremiah Sullivan
1857 to 1860

Cushing, Caleb
1853 to 1857

Crittenden, John Jordan
1850 to 1853

Johnson, Reverdy
1849 to 1850

Toucey, Isaac
1848 to 1849

Clifford, Nathan
1846 to 1848

Mason, John Young
1845 to 1846

Nelson, John
1843 to 1845

Legaré, Hugh Swinton
1841 to 1843

Crittenden, John Jordan
1841 to 1841

Gilpin, Henry Dilworth
1840 to 1841

Grundy, Felix
1838 to 1839

Butler, Benjamin Franklin
1833 to 1838

Taney, Roger Brooke
1831 to 1833

Berrien, John MacPherson
1829 to 1831

Wirt, William
1817 to 1829

Rush, Richard
1814 to 1817

Pinkney, William
1811 to 1814

Rodney, Caesar Augustus
1807 to 1811

Breckinridge, John
1805 to 1806

Lincoln, Levi
1801 to 1805

Lee, Charles
1795 to 1801

Bradford, William
1794 to 1795

Randolph, Edmund Jennings
1789 to 1794