Dr. Glover grew up in the Overtown section of Miami, Florida, the only child of Frederick Douglas and Bessie Wade Glover. His father, Frederick, died in 1943 as a result of an accident that occured while he was working as a porter for the Florida East Cost Railroad. He and his mother, Bessie, remained in Overtown while he attended Douglas Elementary School. In 1951, he transfered to the Historic Booker T. Washington Junior, Senior High School (B.T.W.), where he excelled academically and in sports. He was co-captain of the football and basketball teams in his junior and senior years, while receiving All-City, All-County and All State Honors, among numerous other athletic achievements. He was an honor student, finishing among the top students of his class and was elected president of his senior class. He graduated in the class of 1957.

He received a four-year athletic scholarship in football to Florida A and M University (FAMU) where he was an outstanding scholar and athlete. In 1962, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education, graduating with honors and a member of Alpha Kappa Mu National Honor Society. He started as a sophmore and was the co-captain of the undefeated Negro National Championship Football Teams (FAMU) during his junior and senior years and earned All-Conference honors in his senior year. Dr. Glover received a Masters Degree in Public Administration in 1990 and a Doctorate Degree in Public Administration in 1996 from the University of Southern California.

Dr. Glover taught at Miami Northwestern Senior High School from September 1962 to October 1966. Also, he was the head basketball coach and an assistant football coach. He received his appointment as a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in 1966. Dr. Glover achieved many "firsts" with the FBI. He was the first African American as Assistant Special Agent in Charge (1976) of all FBI operations in the state of New Jersey, first Inspector (1978) in the Planning and Inspection Division, first Special Agent in Charge (1979) of the Milwaukee, WI FBI office, first Assistant Director of the Inspection Division and first designated as Executive Assistant Director (1986) for Administration at the FBI Headquaters in Washinton, D.C., one of three direct reports to the Director of the FBI. To date, no other African American has attained this rank. On March 31, 1989, Dr. Glover retired from the FBI. Throughout his distinguished career he investigated, supervised, and managed numerous successful high-profile investigations.

Immediately upon retiring from the FBI, Dr. Glover assumed the position of Vice President, Global Security for Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, from where he retired on March 31, 2002.

Dr. John D. Glover, is partially retired and currently serves as a consultant to several U.S. business and corporate entities.