Dr. Madeleine Albright, First Woman To Serve As U.S. Secretary of State, Dies At 84
posted by Jacqueline Leibman | March 28, 2022 | In NewsOn March 23, the family of Dr. Madeleine Albright released a statement on Twitter announcing her passing due to cancer at the of age 84.
The 64th U.S. Secretary of State, and first woman to serve in the position, is being remembered as a “trailblazer and a luminary.” Albright also served as U.S. ambassador to the U.N. from 1993-1997 during the Clinton administration. She was later nominated and served as U.S. Secretary of State from 1997-2001.
“She left an indelible mark on the world and on the United Nations. Our country and our United Nations are stronger for her service,” said U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield to Reuters.
In her family’s statement, Albright is described as “a native of Prague who came to the U.S. as a refugee in 1948 and rose to the heights of American policy-making.” She received the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Medal of Freedom, in 2012.
According to Reuters, she was a “tough-talking diplomat” who wasn’t afraid to speak out on subjects including the genocides in Rwanda and Bosnia-Herzegovina that occurred in the 1990s, as well as heavily criticizing the Cuban government when they downed two unarmed U.S.-based planes in 1996.
As a feminist hero, Albright is akin to former United Kingdom Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the ways she broke new ground for women in government. Albright was an icon to which a young female generation looked to for inspiration as they sought out opportunity and respect in the workplace.
Also according to Reuters, one of Albright’s fondest sayings was: “There’s a special place in hell for women who don’t help each other.”
It was also reported that one of her favorite accessories was a snake brooch, to which she took a liking after former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein called her an “unparalleled serpent.” She often used jewelry such as pins and brooches as a diplomatic tool to express her feelings.
Her commitment to global responsibilities and foreign policy forever changed how the U.S. dealt with foreign affairs. Former President George W. Bush stated to Reuters, “She lived out the American dream and helped others realize it … She served with distinction as a foreign-born foreign minister who understood firsthand the importance of free societies for peace in our world.”
Photo courtesy of Chatham House.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.