History
 Forging
the Star - It’s
bound to both inform and surprise! After a decade of research, writing, and
editing, the official modern history of the U.S. Marshals is now available! See
this link for more information about Forging the Star.
 Introduction
to the 225th Virtual Artifact Vault File - Nothing explains our
agency greater than the historic object. As part of the yearlong
celebration of our 225th
anniversary, the U.S. Marshals will feature a virtual historical
artifact, document, or account to educate both internal and external
audiences. We “open the vault” to better define our many missions
throughout the long trail of our storied history. The age of the object
will vary, as will it’s story. The file cards will periodically move on
to describe a new object, so keep checking back!
Read More
A Twelve-Year Retrospective: The Day, and the Photograph, That Changed Us
- It has been twelve years since the day that changed us. By “us,” which could be
expanded to include the country or globe, but it certainly changed the U.S.
Marshals Service. The September 11, 2001 tragedies at the Pentagon, New York
City, and rural Pennsylvania are regularly observed in many ways—always with
sadness with the enormity of the loss of life and institutions. These events had
many heroes, and their efforts are saluted. Every year, a display case appears
in the lobby of our headquarters, highlighting the anniversary date and various
artifacts from the ruins. However, it is also the reminder of the many hands
within our agency that healed after these tragedies.
Read More
We Were There: The U.S. Marshals Role at Dr. Martin Luther King,
Jr.’s Washington, D.C. March - Although the U.S. Marshals are often
linked with civil rights, most recall our crucial role in desegregating
educational institutions in the South during the 1960. In reality, our
personnel sometimes stayed “behind the scenes” to ensure an event went
smoothly. This is what occurred on August 28, 1963, when Dr. Martin
Luther King led the Washington March for Jobs and Freedom.
Read More
Medina’s Thirty-Year Echo: Honoring the Memory of Our Fallen
-
Certain tragic moments in Marshals Service history bear thoughtful
reflection. We memorialize all 246 official line-of-duty deaths. The
unfortunate reality holds that USMS personnel face daily dangers going
after the “worst of the worst” fugitives. This truth resonates brightly
in our heritage. The most recent remembrances are the anniversaries
marking the deaths of Deputy U.S. Marshal Derek Hotsinpiller and Senior Inspector John Perry. Both brave men
were gunned down on missions against armed fugitives.
Read More
Remembering William Degan Twenty Years Later
- On August 21, 1992, Deputy U.S. Marshal William F. Degan was killed in
a firefight in a remote area of Northern Idaho known as “Ruby Ridge.”
Although the location is usually associated with a series of tragic
events involving law enforcement operations, and the underlying
sentiment towards them, there was a very real loss in our own agency
that was often overshadowed in the headlines and hearings.
Read More
 Even after
the creation of more than 50 specialized federal law enforcement
agencies during the 20th century, the Marshals retained the broadest
jurisdiction and authority. For more than 200 years, U.S. Marshals and
their Deputies have served as the instruments of civil authority
used by all three branches of government. Marshals have been
involved in most of the major historical episodes in America's past.
The history of the Marshals is, quite
simply, the story of how the American people govern themselves.
This section of the web site not only
portrays, in words and pictures, the modern Marshals Service, but it also
recounts many of the highlights from the history of the U.S. Marshals; a
span of history that is unique in American law enforcement.
The Marshals
Service looks back on a proud heritage - a tradition spanning two
centuries of service to the Nation and dedication to the principles of
our Constitution and the rule of law.
As our young nation expanded
westward, U.S. Marshals embodied the civilian power of the Federal
Government to bring law and justice to the frontier. For every new
territory, marshals were appointed to impose the law on the untamed
wilderness. And, at virtually every significant point over the years
where Constitutional principles or the force of law have been
challenged, the marshals were there - and they prevailed.
The challenges faced today by
Marshals and their Deputies are no less demanding than those of the
past. In fact, the skills, devotion and determination required to
carry out our contemporary responsibilities make the modern Marshals
Service a unique and elite cadre of law enforcement professionals.
And so, in looking back over our history, we would hope that you
recognize and take pride in the fact that this agency is an intimate
part of the continuum of the grand American experiment in
self-government.
Significant Historical Events
1800's
1900's
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