Condoleezza Rice facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Condoleezza Rice
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Official portrait, 2005
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| 66th United States Secretary of State | |
| In office January 26, 2005 – January 20, 2009 |
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| President | George W. Bush |
| Deputy |
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| Preceded by | Colin Powell |
| Succeeded by | Hillary Clinton |
| 19th United States National Security Advisor | |
| In office January 20, 2001 – January 26, 2005 |
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| President | George W. Bush |
| Deputy | Stephen Hadley |
| Preceded by | Sandy Berger |
| Succeeded by | Stephen Hadley |
| 8th Director of the Hoover Institution | |
| Assumed office September 1, 2020 |
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| Preceded by | Thomas W. Gilligan |
| 10th Provost of Stanford University | |
| In office September 1, 1993 – June 30, 1999 |
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| Preceded by | Gerald Lieberman |
| Succeeded by | John L. Hennessy |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 14, 1954 Birmingham, Alabama, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican (after 1982) Democratic (before 1982) |
| Education | University of Denver (BA, PhD) University of Notre Dame (MA) |
| Signature |  |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Political science |
| Thesis | The Politics of Client Command: Party-Military Relations in Czechoslovakia, 1948–1975 (1981) |
Condoleezza "Condi" Rice (born November 14, 1954) is an American diplomat and political scientist. She has held important roles in the U.S. government. From 2005 to 2009, she was the 66th United States Secretary of State. Before that, from 2001 to 2005, she was the U.S. National Security Advisor.
Condoleezza Rice made history in these roles. She was the first African-American woman to be Secretary of State. She was also the first woman to serve as National Security Advisor. She was one of the highest-ranking African Americans in the U.S. government at the time.
Rice was born in Birmingham, Alabama. She grew up during a time when the Southern U.S. had racial segregation. She earned her college degrees in political science. She worked for two U.S. presidents, George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush. After her government service, she returned to Stanford University. She is now the director of the Hoover Institution there.
Contents
- Condoleezza Rice's Early Life
- Condoleezza Rice's Academic Career
- Her Role in Nuclear Strategy
- In the Private Sector
- Her Early Political Career
- National Security Advisor (2001–2005)
- Secretary of State (2005–2009)
- After the Bush Administration
- Condoleezza Rice's Political Views
- Experiencing Racial Discrimination
- Her Legacy and Influence
- Images for kids
- See also
Condoleezza Rice's Early Life
Condoleezza Rice was born in Birmingham, Alabama. She was the only child of Angelena Rice and John Wesley Rice, Jr. Her mother was a teacher. Her father was a guidance counselor, minister, and college dean. Her unique name, Condoleezza, comes from the Italian musical term con dolcezza. It means "with sweetness."
Her family's roots in the American South go back before the Civil War. Some of her ancestors were sharecroppers after slavery ended. She learned that her family has African, European, and Asian or Native American heritage. Her family's history includes ancestors who were enslaved.
Rice grew up in Birmingham and Tuscaloosa, Alabama. This was a time when the South had racial segregation. Her family lived on the campus of Stillman College, a historically black college.
She started learning French, music, figure skating, and ballet at age three. By age fifteen, she was taking piano lessons. She hoped to become a concert pianist.
Her Education and Learning Journey
In 1967, her family moved to Denver, Colorado. She went to St. Mary's Academy, an all-girls Catholic high school. She graduated at age 16 in 1971. Then, she went to the University of Denver. Her father was an assistant dean there.
She first studied music in college. But after attending the Aspen Music Festival and School, she decided to change her major. She realized other students had more musical talent. She took an international politics class taught by Josef Korbel. This class made her interested in the Soviet Union and international relations. Korbel, who was the father of future Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, became a very important person in her life.
In 1974, at age 19, she earned her bachelor's degree in political science. She graduated with honors from the University of Denver. In 1975, she earned a master's degree from the University of Notre Dame. She interned at the State Department in 1977. She also studied Russian in Moscow in 1979. In 1981, at age 26, she earned her PhD in political science. Her PhD focused on military policy in Czechoslovakia, which was a communist country then.
From 1980 to 1981, she was a fellow at Stanford University. This started her connection with Stanford.
Her Early Political Views
Condoleezza Rice was a Democrat until 1982. Then, she became a Republican. This was partly because she disagreed with President Jimmy Carter's foreign policy. Her father, who was a Republican, also influenced her. She once said that her father joined the Republican Party because Democrats in Jim Crow Alabama would not let him register to vote in 1952. Republicans did.
Condoleezza Rice's Academic Career
Stanford University hired Rice as an assistant professor of political science in 1981. She became an associate professor in 1987. She was an expert on the Soviet Union.
In 1985, her work caught the attention of Brent Scowcroft. He had been National Security Advisor to President Gerald Ford. When George H. W. Bush became president in 1989, Scowcroft asked Rice to be his Soviet expert. She worked on the National Security Council. President Bush was very impressed by her advice.
She returned to Stanford in 1991. She became friends with George Shultz, a former Secretary of State. Shultz suggested Rice for a position on the board of Chevron Corporation. Chevron was working on a big project in Kazakhstan. As a Soviet expert, Rice knew the president of Kazakhstan. In 1993, Chevron named a large oil tanker the SS Condoleezza Rice in her honor. She also joined the boards of Transamerica Corporation and Hewlett-Packard.
Becoming a Provost
In 1993, Rice became provost of Stanford University. The provost is the main budget and academic officer. She was the first woman, first African-American, and youngest provost in Stanford's history. She also became a full professor.
When Rice became provost, Stanford had a $20 million budget problem. She promised to fix it in two years. Two years later, the university had a surplus of over $14.5 million. This showed her strong leadership skills.
Her Role in Nuclear Strategy
In 1986, Rice worked on nuclear strategic planning for the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Later, as Secretary of State in 2005, she played a key role in trying to stop nuclear threats from North Korea and Iran.
Dealing with North Korea
North Korea signed a treaty in 1985 to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. But in 2002, they admitted to having a secret nuclear program. In 2003, North Korea left the treaty. Rice helped create the idea of "six-party talks." These talks brought together China, Japan, Russia, South Korea, North Korea, and the United States.
During these talks, Rice strongly urged North Korea to stop its nuclear program. In 2005, North Korea agreed to give up its nuclear program. In return, they would get security promises and economic help. But in 2006, North Korea tested long-range missiles. The UN Security Council demanded they stop. In 2007, Rice was part of another agreement with North Korea. North Korea agreed to close its main nuclear reactor for fuel and aid.
Working with India
In 2006, India's prime minister announced an agreement with the U.S. for peaceful uses of nuclear energy. As Secretary of State, Rice helped negotiate this. She said India was a "natural partner" for the United States because it is a stable democracy with shared values.
In the Private Sector
Condoleezza Rice led Chevron's public policy committee until 2001. She left to become National Security Advisor. The oil tanker named after her was later renamed Altair Voyager.
She has served on the board of directors for several companies and organizations. These include Chevron Corporation, Hewlett-Packard, and Dropbox.
In 1992, Rice started the Center for New Generation. This after-school program helps high school students in East Palo Alto and Menlo Park, California. In 2014, Rice joined the Ban Bossy campaign. This campaign encourages girls to be leaders and aims to stop the use of the word "bossy."
In 2022, Condoleezza Rice joined the ownership group of the Denver Broncos NFL team. She is a lifelong fan of the team.
Her Early Political Career
From 1989 to 1991, Rice worked for President George H. W. Bush. She was a director on the National Security Council. She focused on Soviet and East European affairs during the time the Soviet Union was breaking apart. She helped shape policies for German reunification. President Bush was very impressed with her knowledge of the Soviet Union.
In 1991, she returned to Stanford. She also advised on issues related to the former Soviet Union. In 1997, she was on a committee about gender-integrated training in the military.
During George W. Bush's 2000 presidential campaign, Rice took a year off from Stanford. She became his foreign policy advisor. The group of advisors she led was called the Vulcans. This name honored a large statue in her hometown of Birmingham. She gave a memorable speech at the 2000 Republican National Convention. In her speech, she said that America's armed forces are not a "global police force."
National Security Advisor (2001–2005)
On December 16, 2000, Rice was named National Security Advisor. She was the first woman to hold this position. She was sometimes called "Warrior Princess" because of her strong will and polite manner.
In 2003, she received an award for public service. In 2010, she received another award for her contributions to U.S. defense and security.
Dealing with Terrorism
In the summer of 2001, Rice met with CIA director George Tenet. They discussed possible terrorist attacks on American targets. On July 10, 2001, Tenet asked for an "emergency meeting" with Rice. He wanted to tell her about a possible al Qaeda attack. Rice asked him to present this information to other top officials.
Rice later said that a report from August 6, 2001, about Osama Bin Laden wanting to strike in the U.S. was based on "old reporting." She said it was "incomprehensible" that she would ignore terrorist threats before the September 11 attacks.
Her Views on Iraq
Rice supported the 2003 invasion of Iraq. In 2002, she wrote an editorial for The New York Times. It was titled "Why We Know Iraq Is Lying." In a 2003 interview, Rice famously said about Iraq's nuclear abilities: "We don't want the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud." This meant waiting for clear proof could be too late.
In October 2003, Rice was put in charge of the Iraq Stabilization Group. This group aimed to reduce violence and rebuild Iraq and Afghanistan.
Before the 2004 presidential election, Rice campaigned for President Bush. She said that while Saddam Hussein was not directly involved in 9/11, Iraq was part of an unstable Middle East that led to the problem. After the invasion, it became clear Iraq did not have nuclear weapons. Some critics said Rice's claims were misleading.
Secretary of State (2005–2009)
On November 16, 2004, President Bush nominated Rice to be Secretary of State. The Senate approved her nomination on January 26, 2005. Some senators voted against her. They wanted to hold her accountable for issues in Iraq and the fight against terrorism.
As Secretary of State, Rice promoted the spread of democratic governments. She believed that "American values are universal." She said that the September 11 attacks were caused by "oppression and despair." So, the U.S. needed to support democracy and basic rights in the Middle East.
Rice also worked to change and improve the State Department and U.S. diplomacy. She called her goal "Transformational Diplomacy." This meant working with other countries to build stable, democratic states.
Rice traveled a lot as Secretary of State. She holds the record for the most miles traveled in that position. Her diplomatic style was similar to former Republican secretaries of state Henry Kissinger and James Baker.
After the Bush Administration
After the Bush Administration ended, Rice returned to teaching. She joined the Council on Foreign Relations.
As an Author
In 2009, Rice signed a deal to write three books. In 2010, she released Extraordinary, Ordinary People: A Memoir of Family. This book was about her childhood. In 2011, she wrote No Higher Honor: A Memoir of My Years in Washington. This book was about her time in the Bush administration. She said there is "no higher honor than serving your country."
In 2017, Rice released Democracy: Stories from the Long Road to Freedom. In this book, she argues for democracy over other types of government. She said her desire to write about democracy came from growing up in Birmingham. There, black citizens did not have full democracy under segregation.
College Football Playoff Selection Committee
In 2013, Rice was chosen to be one of the first members of the College Football Playoff selection committee. This committee picks the best college football teams. She watched many games every week. Her time on the committee ended after the 2016 college football season.
Speculation on Her Political Future
There were rumors that Rice might run for governor of California or for president. She always said she was not interested in running for elected office. She said she was a "policy maker, not a politician."
In 2008, there was talk that she might be John McCain's running mate for vice president. But she denied these rumors. In 2012, similar rumors came up about Mitt Romney's presidential campaign. Rice again said she was not interested.
In 2020, former President George W. Bush said he wrote in Condoleezza Rice's name for president. But Rice told him she "would refuse to accept the office."
Condoleezza Rice's Political Views
Condoleezza Rice is often seen as a centrist or moderate Republican. This means she holds some liberal and some conservative views. She supports gun rights. She opposes same-sex marriage but supports civil unions. She also supports building oil pipelines.
Fighting Terrorism
As Secretary of State, Rice believed that fighting terrorism meant preventing attacks, not just punishing them. She said that counterterrorism involves fighting the ideas that lead to terrorism. She believed the U.S. must support freedom and democracy to fight hatred.
In 2005, Rice used the term "outposts of tyranny." She used it to describe countries she thought threatened world peace and human rights. She named six such countries: Cuba, Zimbabwe, Burma, Belarus, Iran, and North Korea.
Views on Affirmative Action
Rice has a balanced view on affirmative action policies. She believes affirmative action is "still needed." But she does not support quotas, which set specific numbers for groups.
Supporting Female Empowerment
In 2014, Rice joined the Ban Bossy campaign. This campaign aims to stop using the word "bossy" for girls. It encourages girls to take on leadership roles.
Immigration Views
Condoleezza Rice supported the comprehensive immigration plan of the Bush administration. She was sad it did not pass. In 2017, she spoke against the Trump travel ban.
Gun Rights
Rice says she became a strong supporter of gun rights because of her childhood. She grew up in Birmingham facing threats from the KKK. She remembers her father sitting on the porch with a gun, ready to protect his family.
Confederate Monuments
In 2017, Rice said she opposes removing Confederate monuments and memorials. She believes that if you "forget your history, you're likely to repeat it." She thinks that "wiping out your history" is a bad thing.
Experiencing Racial Discrimination
Rice personally experienced the unfairness of Birmingham's segregation laws. Her parents taught her to walk proudly in public. They told her to use facilities at home instead of the "colored" facilities in town. Rice remembers that her parents "refused to allow the limits and injustices of their time to limit our horizons."
She recalled times she faced discrimination. She was put in a storage room instead of a regular dressing room at a store. She was not allowed to go to the circus or amusement park. She was denied hotel rooms and given bad food at restaurants. She was very aware of the Civil Rights Movement and Jim Crow laws. She said, "Those terrible events burned into my consciousness. I missed many days at my segregated school because of the frequent bomb threats."
During the violent times of the Civil Rights Movement, her father guarded their home with a gun. He taught his daughter that black people would have to be "twice as good" to overcome unfairness. Rice said her parents wanted her to be so well prepared that she would be "armored somehow from racism."
Rice was eight years old when her schoolmate, Denise McNair, was killed. Denise, aged 11, died in the bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church by white supremacists in 1963.
Her Legacy and Influence
Condoleezza Rice has appeared four times on the Time 100. This is Time magazine's list of the world's 100 most influential people. She is one of only a few people to be on the list so often.
In 2004 and 2005, Forbes magazine named her the most powerful woman in the world. In 2006, she was ranked second, after the chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel.
Images for kids
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President Bush speaks to the media at the Pentagon on September 17, 2001.
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Condoleezza Rice visits the Governor General of Canada, Michaëlle Jean, in Ottawa.
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Condoleezza Rice speaks with Vladimir Putin during her April 2005 trip to Russia.
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Rice meets with Afghan Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta to discuss anti-terrorism efforts, 2006.
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Rice chats with a member of the Saudi Royal Family after welcoming the new king, Salman of Saudi Arabia, January 27, 2015.
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Rice speaks with Secretary of State Antony Blinken at Stanford University in 2022.
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See also
In Spanish: Condoleezza Rice para niños
