This year, the Central Intelligence Agency marked its 60^th anniversary as the world’s foremost intelligence organization. The CIA was established in 1947 when President Harry S. Truman signed the National Security Act. The act charged the CIA with coordinating the nation’s intelligence activities and correlating, evaluating, and disseminating intelligence affecting national security.

Today, the CIA is responsible for providing intelligence on a wide range of national security issues to senior US policymakers. Since its inception, the CIA has evolved to meet the needs of US leaders:

1947

September 18 - The National Security Act of 1947 establishes the National Security Council and the Central Intelligence Agency to replace the National Intelligence Authority and the Central Intelligence Group.

1950

Allen Dulles, first Director of Plans<br />

December 1 – The Directorate of Administration is established.

1952

January 2 – The Directorate of Intelligence is created.

August 1 – The Directorate of Plans is established.

1955

August 4 – President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs a bill authorizing $46 million for the construction of a CIA Headquarters Building.

An artist's rendering of the CIA Headquarters Building

1959

November 3 – The cornerstone of the CIA Headquarters Building in Langley, Virginia, is laid.

1963

August 5 – The Directorate of Science and Technology is created.

1964

December 1 – President Lyndon B. Johnson receives the first President's Daily Brief (PDB).

1973

Vice President George H. W. Bush helps lay the New Headquarters Building cornerstone<br />

March 1 – The Directorate of Plans becomes the Directorate of Operations.

1985

November 1 – Vice President George H. W. Bush presides at the laying of the cornerstone for the Headquarters Building Expansion. The New Headquarters Building is completed and occupied in March 1991.

1997

September 18 – The Central Intelligence Agency celebrates its 50th anniversary.

1999

April 26 – The CIA headquarters compound is dedicated as the George Bush Center for Intelligence as specified in the Intelligence Authorization Act for fiscal year 1999.

2001

June 4 – The CIA announces a major realignment of its support functions by replacing the Directorate of Administration with the CFO (Chief Financial Officer), CIO (Chief Information Officer), Global Support, Human Resources, and Security Mission Support offices.

The first Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, Porter Goss, greets President George W. Bush at CIA Headquarters<br />

2004

December 17 – President George W. Bush signs the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act, which restructures the intelligence community. The Act abolishes the positions of Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) and Deputy Director of Central Intelligence (DDCI) and creates the position of the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (D/CIA). The Act also created the position of Director of National Intelligence (DNI), which oversees the Intelligence Community and the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC).

2005

January 4 – The Directorate of Support is created. This directorate replaces the Mission Support Offices.

October 13 – The National Clandestine Service (NCS) is created to oversee the Agency’s operational activities and the task of coordinating clandestine HUMINT collection community-wide. The NCS replaces the Directorate of Operations.

2007

September 18 - The Central Intelligence Agency celebrates its 60th anniversary.