Bisa Williams facts for kids

Bisa Williams, born in 1954, is an American diplomat. A diplomat is someone who represents their country in other nations. She used to be the Ambassador from the United States of America to the country of Niger. She started this important job on October 29, 2010, and finished her term on September 13, 2013.

Early Life and Education

Bisa Williams was born in Trenton, New Jersey. She grew up in St. Louis, Missouri and Lawrenceville, New Jersey. Her father, Dr. Paul T. Williams, was a surgeon. Her mother, Eloise Owens Williams, was a social worker and later a professor.

Bisa Williams has two sisters who are also well-known. Her sister, Ntozake Shange, was a famous writer and poet. Her other sister, Ifa Bayeza, is also a playwright. They even wrote a novel together called Some Sing, Some Cry.

Bisa Williams went to Yale College and graduated in 1976. She earned a degree in Black Literature of the Americas. Later, she received two master's degrees. One was from the National War College in national security. The other was from the University of California, Los Angeles in comparative literature.

Career as a Diplomat

Bisa Williams joined the Foreign Service in 1984. This means she became a diplomat who works for the U.S. government in other countries. She has worked in many places around the world.

Her first job overseas was in Port Louis, Mauritius. She also worked in Paris, France, and Panama City, Panama. In Mauritius, she was the second-in-command at the U.S. embassy.

Before becoming an ambassador, Bisa Williams was a high-ranking official for the U.S. State Department. She focused on countries in the Americas. In 2009, she visited Cuba to help improve relations between the two countries. During her trip, she met with Cuban officials. She also worked on restoring direct mail service. She even invited people who disagreed with the Cuban government to a reception at the U.S. office in Cuba.

In 2009, she was chosen to be the U.S. Ambassador to Niger. She started her job in Niamey in October 2010. She finished her work as ambassador in 2013.

Today, Bisa Williams works as a Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of African Affairs. She continues to serve at the U.S. Department of State.