Women’s History Month: More Inspiring ‘Firsts’ by Female African American Ambassadors

Last year for Women’s History Month, I compiled an article “Honoring the Many ‘Firsts’ of African American Female Ambassadors.” The article included 14 female former ambassadors and was meant to be a work in progress to eventually include more of the approximately 55 African American women who have served in the capacity of U.S. ambassadors.

Encouraging comments such as those from former U.S. Ambassador to the African Union, Cindy Courville, confirmed the advisability of proceeding with this project. Courville wrote,

“You provided the readers with a rare insight into the contributions of those brave and inspiring African American women whose outstanding diplomatic service contributed to promoting American democracy and national security.”

Ambassador Ruth A. Davis sits next to Secretary Blinken at the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Thursday Luncheon Group on February 2, 2023. [State Department Photo]

The following is a compilation of the “firsts” of 25 additional female ambassadors. These ambassadors have established U.S. missions in troubled areas of the world and covered the legal and programmatic issues related to the genocide in Rwanda (Susan D. Page); served under fire and terrorist attacks (Mosina Jordan and Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley); coordinated U.S. efforts on threat reduction globally and U.S. government programs in chemical, biological, nuclear, and radiological security (Bonnie D. Jenkins); saved innumerable lives by securing the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDs Relief (PEPFAR) for Lesotho (June Carter Perry); and they count many other diplomatic achievements during, before, and after their service overseas.

Mosina Jordan was the first African American and the first woman appointed as an ambassador from the U.S. Agency of International Development (USAID). She was named to the Central African Republic by President Clinton and served from 1995 to 1998. According to Jordan, “It was a baptism of fire into U.S., Africa, and French foreign intrigue and diplomacy, as well as an unrelenting series of coup d’etats that created a dangerous, volatile, and unpredictable environment.” In the midst of dodging bullets, rockets, and mortars she safely evacuated all Americans in the country – over 200 from religious groups, 100 Peace Corps volunteers, businesspeople, and Embassy personnel – all while influencing the peace process by promoting the principles and values that underscore democracy.

Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley was the recipient of the Department of State Superior Honor Award, “For acts of courage during an attack on the U.S. Consulate General, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on December 6, 2004, by al-Qa’ida terrorists.” Serving overseas as a diplomat can prove to be dangerous, even in the most unlikely places, as I learned while serving as U.S. Consul General in Barcelona when my consulate was bombed by the Red Army for the liberation of Catalonia on October 14, 1987.

After serving as U.S. Ambassador to Liberia, Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, and Director General of the Foreign Service, Linda Thomas-Greenfield left the State Department but later returned to government service as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and a member of President Biden’s cabinet. I take pride in the fact that Linda is my mentee and applaud her command of the skills and knowledge required to be effective in perhaps what is our most complex, far reaching diplomatic post. As U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, she is recognized for her commitment to democracy, good governance, human rights, anti-corruption, and combatting global food insecurity, as well as introducing the concept of “Gumbo Diplomacy.”

Susan Rice is the first and only person in U.S. history to serve as both National Security Advisor and Domestic Policy Advisor. According to Washington Post journalist Amy B. Yang’s column from April 24, 2023,

“President Biden credited Rice’s efforts with helping to expand the Affordable Care Act, enabling Medicare to negotiate lower prescription drug prices for seniors and cap the cost of insulin at $35, taking historic actions to reduce gun violence and increasing access to child care and long-term care, among other achievements.”

The list below represents 25 female Foreign Service Officers, political appointees, and appointees from USAID – a foreign affairs agency from which the Department of State can nominate candidates for ambassadorial appointments. They have served in the Caribbean, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, and in senior-level positions in Washington. They all emphasize the importance of being the first, but not the last.

1. Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley

Ambassador Abercrombie-Winstanley Delivers Remarks at the Inaugural Meeting of the Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Council. — Ambassador Abercrombie-Winstanley delivers remarks at the inaugural meeting of the Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Council. [State Department photo]

First female Principal Officer in Saudi Arabia and first woman to head a diplomatic mission in Saudi Arabia (2002-2005)
First female African American U.S. Ambassador to Malta (2012-2016)
First Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, U.S. Department of State (2021-2023)

2. Nicole Avant

U.S. Ambassador to The Bahamas Nicole Avant speaks at an event. She is behind a lectern and the flags of the United States and the Bahamas are behind her. — U.S. Ambassador to the Bahamas Nicole Avant speaks at an event. [State Department photo]

First African American woman and youngest person to be appointed as U.S. Ambassador to the Bahamas

3. Shirley Elizabeth Barnes

First African American woman to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Madagascar (1998-2001)

4. Marcia Bernicat

Director General of the Foreign Service and Director of Global Talent Ambassador Marcia Bernicat and Secretary Blinken at a Global Town Hall for Locally Employed Staff. [State Department photo]

First African American woman to serve as the India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Bhutan Office Director (2006-2008)
First African American woman to serve as Consul General in Casablanca, Morocco (1995-1998)
First African American woman to serve as Deputy Chief of Mission in Lilongwe, Malawi (1998-2001)
First African American to serve as Deputy Chief of Mission and Charge d’ affaires in Bridgetown, Barbados (2001-2004)

5. Natalie E. Brown

Ambassador Natalie E. Brown poses for a group photo in Uganda. Everyone is sitting on the ground. [State Department photo] — Ambassador Natalie E. Brown meeting with community members in Uganda. [State Department photo]

First female African American State Department employee selected to attend the Marine Corps Command and Staff College (1997-1998)
First African American woman to serve as Chief of the Political Section at the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait (2004-2006)
First Department of State employee selected for the International Women’s Forum Leadership Fellowship (2007-2008)
First African American woman to serve as Economic Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Jordan (2007-2010)
First African American woman to serve as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Tunisia (2010-2013)
First African-American woman to serve as Deputy Chief of Mission/Deputy Permanent Representative of the U.S. Mission to the UN Agencies in Rome (FAO – Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN, WFP – World Food Program, and IFAD – International Fund for Agricultural Development, as well as IDLO – International Law Development Organization, UNIDROIT – International Institute for the Unification of Private Law, and ICCROM – the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property) (2013-2016)
First African American woman to serve as Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Eritrea (2016-2019)
First African American woman to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Uganda (2020-2023)
First African American woman to serve as Senior Diplomatic Advisor to the Smithsonian Institution (2023-present)

6. Cindy Courville

First African American woman hired as an Assistant Professor at Hanover College in the Department of Political Science (1986-1989)
First African American woman hired with a Ph.D. to serve as a Political Military Intelligence Officer at the Defense Intelligence Agency (1997-1998)
First African American woman to serve as the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency Deputy Assistant Intelligence Officer for Africa Policy (1999-2000)
The first U.S. Ambassador to the African Union and the first African American woman to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to the African Union (2006-2008)

7. Ertharin Cousin

First African American woman to serve as a State Department White House Liaison (1994)
First African American woman to be a Senior Advisor to the Secretary of State for International Olympics (1995-1996)
First African America woman appointed by the President to serve as a member of the Board for International Food and Agriculture Development (1997)
First African American woman appointed as U.S. Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the Food and Agriculture organizations (2009)
First African American woman appointed by the Secretary General to serve as Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Program (2012)

8. Jessica Davis Ba

U.S. Ambassador to Côte d'Ivoire Jessica Davis Ba shakes hands as Secretary Antony J. Blinken meets with Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, January 23, 2024. [State Department photo] — U.S. Ambassador to Côte d’Ivoire Jessica Davis Ba shakes hands as Secretary Blinken meets with Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. [State Department photo]

First African American to serve as Deputy Chief of Mission to the U.S. Mission to the African Union and the Deputy U.S. Representative to the UN Economic Commission for Africa (2016 to 2019)
First African American woman to serve as long-term Chargé d’Affaires a.i., at the U.S. Embassy in N’Djamena, Chad (2019 to 2021)
First African American to serve as Senior Coordinator for National Security Affairs in the Office of the Vice President (2021 to 2022)

9. Jendayi Frazer

First woman to serve as U.S. Ambassador to South Africa (2004-2005)

10. Makila James

Ambassador Makila James poses for a group photo in Eswatini. — Ambassador Makila James in Eswatini [photo courtesy of Makila James]

First African American and first woman to serve as Principal Officer at the U.S. Consulate in Juba, South Sudan (2006-2007)
First African American woman to serve as Director of the International Student Management Office at the National Defense University (2017-2018)
First African American woman to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Eswatini (2012-2015)

11. Bonnie D. Jenkins

Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security Bonnie T. Jenkins speaks at the United Nations. [State Department photo] — Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security Bonnie D. Jenkins speaks at the United Nations. [State Department photo]

First African American Department of State Under Secretary – Serves as Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security (2021-present)
First African American Special Envoy, Coordinator for Threat Reduction Programs with the rank of Ambassador (2009-2017)

12. Suzan D. Johnson Cook

First African American, first woman, and first Faith Leader to serve as the U.S. Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom (2011-2013)

13. Mosina Jordan

Photo of Mosina Jordan — Ambassador Mosina Jordan [photo courtesy of Mosina Jordan]

First African American woman appointed ambassador from USAID and the First African American woman to serve as ambassador to the Central African Republic. (1995-1998)
First and only African American appointed Counselor to USAID and serving concurrently as Acting Assistant Administrator for Management (2005-2008)

14. Dennise Mathieu

Ambassador Dennise Mathieu is decorated with the Order of Niger medal, presented by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and African Integration, Aïchatou Mindaodou. [Photo courtesy of Dennise Mathieu]

First female African American U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Niger (2002-2005)
First African American U.S. Ambassador to U.S. Transportation Command (2010-2013)
First African American Observer to UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (1990-1995)

15. Susan D. Page

U.S. Ambassador to South Sudan Susan D. Page on a flight line in Juba, South Sudan, [U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Robert L. Fisher III/Released]

First U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of South Sudan (2011-2015)

16. June Carter Perry

Ambassador June Carter Perry [State Department photo]

First to become U.S. Diplomat in Residence of the Year (2002)
First African American woman appointed as U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Lesotho (2004-2007)
First to become Director of the Office of Social and Humanitarian Affairs in the Bureau of International Organization Affairs responsible for U.S. policy and oversight of UN agencies ECOSOC, Human Rights, Commissions on Women and Refugees (2002-2004)
First to be named a Cyrus Vance Visiting Professor at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts (2011-2012)
First to deliver the prestigious Monroe Paine Lecture at the University of Missouri at Columbia (March 2013)

17. Margarita Ragsdale

First female African American U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Djibouti (2004-2006)

18. Eunice Reddick

First African American woman to hold an office director position covering Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs (2000-2002)

19. Arlene Render

First African American Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo (1981-1984)
First African American Counselor for Consular Affairs and Consul General at the U.S. Embassy in Jamaica (1984-1986)
First female African American U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of The Gambia (1990-1993)
First African American U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Zambia (1996-1999)
First female African American U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire (2001-2004)

20. Susan Rice

Ambassador Rice Addresses the 2014 Global Chiefs of Mission Conference. — Ambassador Rice addresses the 2014 Global Chiefs of Mission Conference. [State Department photo]

First female African American Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs (1997-2001)
First female African American U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations (2009-2013)
First and only person in U.S. history to serve as both National Security Advisor (2013-2017) and Domestic Policy Advisor (2021-May 2023)

21. Brenda Schoonover

First of nine African Americans to integrate Catonsville High School in Catonsville, Maryland (1955)
Only African American and one of two Returned Peace Corps Volunteers to be invited to the funeral and procession of President John F. Kennedy, sharing a car with Astronaut John Glenn and his wife Annie (1963)
First female African American Associate Director of the Peace Corps in Tanzania (1965-1967)
First female African American Director of the Office of the School Partnership for Peace Corps in Washington, D.C. (1967-1968)
First female African American U.S. Ambassador to Togo (1998-2000)

22. Linda Thomas-Greenfield

Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks to Linda Thomas-Greenfield at the United Nations on Aug. 3, 2023. — Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield speaks to Secretary Blinken at the United Nations. [State Department photo]

First African American woman to receive the Warren Christopher award (2000)
First female African American U.S. Ambassador to Liberia (2008-2012)
First African American Foreign Service Officer to be listed in Forbes World’s 100 Most Powerful Women (December 2022)

23. Diane Watson

First African American member elected to the Los Angeles Unified School District (1971)
First woman to be elected to the California State Senate (1979)
The only female African American politician to hold the three positions of State Senator, Congresswoman, and Ambassador

24. Beatrice Wilkinson Welters

Ambassador Beatrice W. Welters greets Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. [State Department photo]

First female African American to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago (2010-2012)

25. Mary Jo Wills

First African American woman to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Mauritius and the Seychelles (2010-2011)
First African American woman to serve as a Department of State Visiting Professor at the National Defense University’s College of International Security Affairs (2012-2015)

This article was Originally published on state.gov by Ambassador Ruth A. Davis (Retired)

About the Author: Ambassador Ruth A. Davis was a trailblazer throughout her 40-year career, including as the first female senior watch officer (SWO) in the Operations Center, the first African American director of the Foreign Service Institute and the first female African American Director General of the Foreign Service.

She was also the first and only African American woman to be named Career Ambassador, the longest-serving officer at that level and, upon retirement, the highest-ranking Foreign Service officer. She is also the first African American to be awarded the American Foreign Association’s Lifetime Contributions to American Diplomacy Award.

Ambassador Ruth A. Davis speaks at a lectern. [American Foreign Service Association photo] — Ambassador Ruth A. Davis [American Foreign Service Association photo]