Who was president of the United States during the Wall Street Crash of 1929?

Herbert Hoover was president of the United States during the Wall Street Crash of 1929.

Hoover took office on March 4, 1929, several months before the stock market reached its September peak and began its historic collapse. The crash unfolded during his presidency, with especially severe trading losses occurring in late October. Hoover had previously served as secretary of commerce and was widely regarded as an experienced administrator.

The crash was followed by a broader economic contraction that became the Great Depression. Hoover supported measures including public works, federal lending, and voluntary cooperation with businesses, but the scale of the crisis continued to grow. His administration also signed the Smoot–Hawley Tariff Act in 1930, which raised US import duties and remains controversial among historians.

Hoover is often blamed for the entire Depression, but the downturn had multiple causes, including banking failures, falling demand, debt, and international financial problems. Franklin D. Roosevelt succeeded him in March 1933, after the Depression had already lasted several years.