John A. Burroughs Jr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John A. Burroughs Jr.
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Burroughs in 1981
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| United States Ambassador to Uganda | |
| In office August 12, 1988 – August 28, 1991 |
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| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Robert Gordon Houdek |
| Succeeded by | Johnnie Carson |
| United States Ambassador to Malawi | |
| In office May 7, 1981 – June 9, 1984 |
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| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Harold E. Horan |
| Succeeded by | Weston Adams |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 31, 1936 Washington, D.C.) |
| Died | September 11, 2014 (aged 78) |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | University of Iowa |
| Profession | Career Diplomat |
John Andrew Burroughs Jr. (born July 31, 1936 – died September 11, 2014) was an important American diplomat. He served as the United States Ambassador to two different countries: Malawi and Uganda. Before his long career helping his country, he was a talented football player in college. He spent over 30 years working for the U.S. government.
Contents
John A. Burroughs Jr.: A Life of Service
Early Life and College Football
John Burroughs grew up in Washington, D.C. He loved sports and played football for the University of Iowa. He was a lineman for the Hawkeyes team from 1956 to 1958. During his time playing, the Hawkeyes won two championships in the Big Ten Conference. They also won two Rose Bowl Games, which are very famous college football games. John Burroughs finished college in 1959 with a degree in political science.
A Career in Diplomacy
After college, John Burroughs started his career as a social science teacher in Washington, D.C., in 1959. He then began working for the government in different roles. He helped people with their passports and worked in various administrative jobs.
In 1966, he moved to the United States Department of the Navy. Here, he traveled all over the world. He even got a special fellowship to study at Stanford University.
John Burroughs returned to the Department of State in 1977. He worked to make sure everyone had an equal chance at jobs. In 1980, he received a special award called the Superior Service Award. This award recognized his efforts to increase the number of minority groups and women working as U.S. Foreign Service Officers. These officers represent the U.S. in other countries.
Serving as an Ambassador
In 1981, John Burroughs became the United States Ambassador to the Republic of Malawi. An ambassador is a top diplomat who represents their country in another nation. He served in Malawi for three years. Later, he became the United States Ambassador to Uganda from 1988 to 1991. John Burroughs retired from government service in 1994, after a long and successful career.
