America’s diplomatic corps has not always been representative of the diversity of the nation’s population.

Diplomats of color have broken barriers and accomplished much, but their stories are often untold.  The battle for a more diverse and inclusive Department of State and Foreign Service is now being told through the museum’s Facing Diplomacy project, where we are curating academic resources and telling the stories of diverse diplomats.

African American Diplomats

African Americans have made important contributions to American diplomacy since the mid-1800s. 

NMAD has compiled resources that encompass the relationship between the Department of State and African Americans seeking a voice in their nation’s foreign policy, including primary and secondary sources, media, podcasts, and oral histories from former African American diplomats

NMAD wishes to thank James Dandridge, Dr. Michael Krenn, Dr. Carlton McLellan, and the State Department Affinity Groups, Blacks in Government (BIG) and the Thursday Luncheon Group for their support.

Hispanic American Diplomats

Hispanic Americans have made significant contributions to U.S. diplomacy. However, many of these figures are less known in diplomatic history.

NMAD has compiled resources highlighting the contributions Hispanic Americans have made to American diplomacy, including primary and secondary sources, media, podcasts, and oral histories.

NMAD wishes to thank the Hispanic Employee Council of Foreign Affairs Agencies (HECFAA)  and Ambassador Lino Gutiérrez for their support for this project.

Asian American Diplomats

While Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Americans do not have a long history of serving as commissioned U.S. diplomats, these Americans have represented America as citizen diplomats and goodwill ambassadors for several decades.

NMAD has compiled resources highlighting the contributions Asian American and Pacific Islanders have made to American diplomacy, including primary and secondary sources, media, podcasts, and oral histories.

NMAD wishes to thank the Asian American Foreign Affairs Association (AAFAA)  for their support for this project.

More Coming Soon

Check back for more stories of diverse figures in American diplomacy.

Join Our Digital Storytelling Campaign

This campaign leverages the StoryCorps platform, a free web or smartphone application for public use, to record audio interviews of American diplomats of all backgrounds. When stories are uploaded through the StoryCorps platform, they are automatically archived in the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress.

Who can participate?

We define diplomacy broadly and welcome all members of the American foreign affairs community. This includes civil and foreign service professionals, past and present, as well as family members, locally employed staff, interns, participants of the fellows programs, and contractors. Browse the stories.

How can I participate?

To join the campaign, use the StoryCorps mobile app or the StoryCorps web app to record and upload your audio interview. For more tips on how to participate, download our toolkit.

The National Museum of American Diplomacy is proud to launch a crowdsourced digital storytelling campaign as part of our Facing Diplomacy series in order to build a more complete history of American diplomacy. This effort is in collaboration with the Secretary’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

Story Corps Do It Yourself graphic