Civics/Government

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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…

  • Story of Diplomacy

    The Declaration Heard ‘Round the World

    The 1776 Declaration of Independence is one of the most universally well-known historical documents. American diplomats continue to promote the democratic values enshrined in its…

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    NCIV 50th Anniversary Artwork

    This original artwork features a collage of images, logos, and quotes that celebrate 50 years of the National Council of International Visitors (NCIV), a private organization that promotes citizen diplomacy in the U.S. The NCIV is now known as Global Ties U.S. Then as now, it is a network of individual members,…

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    Handkerchief Letter

    Cuban medical professional and human rights activist Óscar Elías Biscet wrote this letter to U.S. President Barack Obama in 2009 while serving a 25 year prison sentence for his public support of human rights in Cuba. It is written on a cloth handkerchief. Biscet was released in 2011 after appeals from the…

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    John Y. Mason's Diplomatic Uniform

    This Diplomatic uniform was worn by John Y. Mason, U.S. Minister to France from 1854-1859. For many years, there was debate over the appropriate attire for U.S. diplomats serving abroad in countries where formal diplomatic uniforms were often the norm. This uniform, which Mason had custom made for himself and is based…

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    Avraham Rabby's Braille Globe

    Avraham (“Rami”) Rabby was a disability rights advocate and a Foreign Service Officer who served from 1990 to 2017. He was completely blind, having lost his sight at age eight due to detached retinas. Rabby fought the Department of State for several years over his ability to join the U.S. Foreign Service.…

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    Vehicle Pass

    This Iraqi Ministry of Interior vehicle placard was attached to authorized U.S. embassy vehicles, allowing them to drive near polling stations during the Iraqi National Legislative Elections in December 2005. Following the ratification of the Constitution of Iraq on October 15, 2005, a general election was held on December 15 to elect…

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    Philip Habib's Presidential Medal of Freedom

    Born to parents who immigrated to the United States from Lebanon, Philip C. Habib grew up in New York and joined the Foreign Service in 1949. Habib became a renowned diplomat over his 30+ year career, first for his service and expertise in Southeast Asia — including a prominent role in the…

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    Ambassador vanden Heuvel's Suit

    On April 30, 1980 – the eve of May Day – two protestors with Communist sympathies burst into U.N. Security Council chamber and splashed William vanden Heuvel, deputy U.S. ambassador to the U.N., and Soviet Ambassador Oleg Troyanovsky with bucketfuls of red paint. The protestors’ aim was to accuse the U.S. and…