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    Book Gifted to Richard Schifter

    As a young boy in Vienna, Austria in the 1930s, Richard Schifter would often walk with his father past the Austrian Consular Academy. Richard would tell his parents that one day he wanted to be a diplomat. One time, his father pulled him aside and explained, “We are Jews. Jews can't get…

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    Decorated Pillowcase from Jonestown

    U.S. diplomats at posts around the world provide consular services to Americans living and working abroad as a core part of their mission. Sometimes that work is especially tragic, challenging, and dangerous. In 1978, officials from the U.S. Embassy in Guyana were making periodic consular visits to The Peoples Temple settlement, known…

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    "Civil Code" Book from Italy

    The oldest gift to a Secretary of State in the museum’s collection is this copy of Codice Civile del Regno D’Italia or, translated into English, Civil Code of the Kingdom of Italy. It was printed in 1901 by Fratella Bocca Editori, an Italian publishing house. The pocket-sized publication has a short handwritten…

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    Ambassador Harper’s Moccasins

    In 2014, Keith M. Harper became the first Native American to be named a U.S. ambassador to the UN Human Rights Council. A citizen of the Cherokee Nation, Harper served as the U.S. Permanent Representative to the UN Human Rights Council until 2017. These moccasins were a gift to him from his…

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    Glass Shards from Embassy Bombing

    John E. Lange was serving as Chargé d’Affaires at U.S. Embassy Dar Es Salaam on August 7, 1998. That morning, he convened a meeting in his office with the Political-Economic Section which was cut short due to the bomb’s impact. Lange remembers feeling a deep rumble before an explosion rocked his office,…

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    Ambassador Bushnell's Hard Hat

    When the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi was attacked by a truck bomb in August 1998, U.S. Ambassador to Kenya Prudence Bushnell was present in a neighboring building and injured by the blast. Ambassador Bushnell returned to inspect the damaged embassy the next day. Her staff presented this hard hat for her to…

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    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…

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    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…

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    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…

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    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…