Symbols of the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the FBI; the red stripes stand for courage, valor, and strength, while the white ones represent light, cleanliness, and truth. Below the wreath and shield is a scroll bearing the words "Fidelity, Bravery, Integrity". This slogan, which was devised in 1935 by FBI Inspector W.H. Drane Lester, describes the high moral standards and high level of motivation the FBI expects from its staff. It also reflects the Bureau's own initials as a "backronym" of sorts. However, a "Newsweek" article from 2008 credits Edward Allen Tamm, once a top aide to J. Edgar Hoover who regularly briefed President Franklin Roosevelt
Motto Motto A motto (derived from the Latin "muttum", 'mutter', by way of Italian "motto", 'word', 'sentence') is a maxim; a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of an individual, family, social group or organization. Mottos are usually found predominantly in written form (unlike slogans, which may also be expressed orally), and may stem from long traditions of social foundations, or from significant events, such as a civil war or a revolution. A motto may be in any language, but Latin has been widely used, especially in the Western world. In heraldry, a motto is often found