Letter of commendation for Ambassador Pamela Bridgewater
date: label: Date
content: May 3, 1994
name: label: Written by
content: George E. Moose, American, born 1944
label: Received by
content: Pamela E. Bridgewater, American, born 1947
label: Subject of
content: United States Department of State, American, founded 1789
label: Owned by
content: Pamela E. Bridgewater, American, born 1947
notes: label: Caption
content: The role of Black women in foreign and international affairs is unique. Prior to the appointment of Edith S. Sampson to the United Nations in 1950 and Patricia Roberts Harris as Ambassador to Luxembourg in 1965, Black women involved themselves in global affairs through unofficial channels, ranging from women’s organizations like the National Council of Negro Women and Sojourners for Truth to reporting for newspapers like the Chicago Defender and Associated Negro Press. Other Black women were considered unofficial ambassadors for the State Department, particularly during the Cold War (see: Penny von Eschen’s Satchmo Blows Up the World). The transition from independent international leaders to official appointees marks the acceptance of Black women as world leaders, who represented not only Black Americans but American women on the global stage.
label: Description
content: An original one-page commendation cable (a), with note (b), sent from the U.S. Department of State's Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, George Moose, to U.S. Consul General for Durban, South Africa, Pamela E. Bridgewater, May 3, 1994 for the role she played aiding South Africa’s transition to democracy, amid civil unrest in the KwaZulu-Natal province. The commendation is typed in black ink on a translucent white paper and at the top and bottom headers, in black text, are “UNCLASSIFIED” and “STATE 115186”. The message reads in part “I want to thank you and your staff for the invaluable role you have played in advancing this process. In every instance you have responded with the grace and fortitude that I have come to expect” and ends with “Please convey to your staff South African and American, my gratitude for a job superbly done. Talbott.” There are no markings on the reverse.
label: Description
content: The cable is accompanied by a note (b) handwritten in black ink reading: [ORIGINAL / CABLE / From. Assistant / Secretary of State / for Africa Amb. / George Moose / For / Consul General / Pamela Bridgewater]. There are no markings on the reverse of the note.
place: label: Place depicted
content: Durban, South Africa, Africa
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Activism
label: Topic
content: Africa
label: Topic
content: Civil Rights
label: Topic
content: Government
label: Topic
content: International affairs
label: Topic
content: Politics
label: Topic
content: Women
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Documents and Manuscripts
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Pamela E. Bridgewater, United States Ambassador (Retired)
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2023.51.6ab
objectType: label: Type
content: documents
label: Type
content: letters (correspondence)
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Public domain
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: ink on paper
label: Dimensions
content: H x W (a): 11 × 8 1/4 in. (28 × 21 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: H x W (b): 5 × 2 15/16 in. (12.7 × 7.5 cm)