Tools and Training

These items in NMAD's collection are the tools and training materials diplomats have used throughout history.

Showing 1–10 of 27 results

  • Item

    Guidebook for Blind Job Seekers

    Avraham (Rami) Rabby was a lifelong advocate for the rights of those with disabilities, particularly vision loss. He was completely blind, having lost his sight as a child due to detached retinas. He also served as a diplomat in the U.S. Foreign Service for 17 years, a job he had to fight…

  • Item

    Avraham Rabby’s White Cane

    This foldable white cane belonged to Avraham (Rami) Rabby, who was a lifelong advocate for the rights of those with disabilities, particularly vision loss. Canes like this one are commonly used by people with low or no vision to identify themselves and to help safely navigate on foot. Rabby was completely blind,…

  • Item

    Diplomatic Courier Pouch

    Diplomatic Couriers safely and securely deliver classified messages and material to U.S. embassies and consulates around the world. This leather courier pouch from the early 20th century in the National Museum of American Diplomacy’s collection was used by diplomatic couriers to securely transport diplomatic materials. Retired couriers who were consulted when the…

  • Item

    Diplomatic Courier’s Overnight Bag

    U.S. Diplomatic Couriers are some of the most traveled people in the world. They’re responsible for ensuring that classified materials are safely and securely transported across international borders. Without their hard work, U.S. missions and consulates couldn’t function. Few objects in our collection illustrate the breadth and frequency of a diplomatic courier’s…

  • Item

    Tags from Secretary Christopher’s Travels

    As U.S. Secretary of State, Warren Chistopher (1993-1997) traveled extensively in order to advance foreign policy goals. All of those who have served as the Secretary in recent decades have done the same. These tags represent some of those trips. They include one (top, center) from his trip to Wright-Patterson Air Force…

  • Item

    Secretary Christopher’s Trip Binder

    In early August 1995, U.S Secretary of State Warren Christopher (1993-1997) traveled to Malaysia, Cambodia, and Vietnam. This binder contained information which helped Secretary Christopher prepare for events and meetings during the trip. In Malaysia, he discussed the effects of the Bosnian conflict on Muslims with the Prime Minister and signed commercial…

  • Item

    USAID Personal Hygiene Kit Items

    Items from personal hygiene kit, c. 2014. A “personal hygiene kit” is a box of basic hygiene supplies, utilized by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance to help prevent outbreaks of communicable illness in disaster areas across the globe.

  • Item

    Mechanical Sewing Machine

    In 2007, the U.S. Embassy in Cambodia distributed 1,200 sewing machines, like this one, to Muslim communities across the country. The sewing machines were part of the State Department’s “Shared Futures” initiative. They were used to establish micro-enterprise centers to help individuals and families become more financially self-sufficient.

  • Item

    Scholastic Children's Books

    Tragedy struck a diplomatic delegation and their military escorts on April 6, 2013, in southern Afghanistan. A young diplomat named Anne Smedinghoff, three U.S. soldiers, and an Afghani interpreter were killed in a car bomb blast that targeted their group as they were delivering books to a boys' school. Anne was a…

  • Item

    Portable X-Ray Machine

    X-Ray machines aren’t just used in hospitals and airports, they’re also a crucial tool used by the Diplomatic Security Service to detect threats to U.S. diplomatic missions around the world. This portable x-ray kit, manufactured in 1970s, was used by DSS Technical Security Officers to look for espionage devices, explosives, and other…