Born August 25, 1819 (Glasgow, Scotland)
Died July 1, 1884 (Chicago, Illinois)
Private investigator
Allan Pinkerton provided America with a national policing system at a time when there was little federal or state law enforcement. Credited as a reformer for popularizing private security, he focused primarily on crime prevention and investigation. During the American Civil War (1861–65; war in the United States between the Union [North], who was opposed to slavery, and the Confederacy [South], who was in favor of slavery), Pinkerton organized the first government-authorized secret service agency in American history.
The Pinkerton National Detective Agency was among the first private detective agencies in...
(The entire page is 2426 words.)
Want to read the whole thing?
Subscribe to eNotes for access to this content as well as thousands of study guides and critical materials. SUBSCRIBE
