Pamela Bridgewater facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pamela E. Bridgewater
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| United States Ambassador to Jamaica | |
| In office November 3, 2010 – November 25, 2013 |
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| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Sue McCourt Cobb |
| Succeeded by | Luis G. Moreno |
| United States Ambassador to Ghana | |
| In office October 11, 2005 – June 10, 2008 |
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| President | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Mary Carlin Yates |
| Succeeded by | Donald G. Teitelbaum |
| United States Ambassador to Benin | |
| In office November 24, 2000 – December 10, 2002 |
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| President | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Robert C. Felder |
| Succeeded by | Wayne E. Neill |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 14, 1947 Fredericksburg, Virginia |
| Spouse | A. Russell Awkard |
| Alma mater | Virginia State University; University of Cincinnati |
| Occupation | Ambassador, professor |
Pamela E. Bridgewater (born April 14, 1947) is an American diplomat. She is known for serving as a U.S. Ambassador to several countries. An ambassador is a special representative sent by one country to another. Their job is to build good relationships and solve problems between nations.
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Pamela Bridgewater's Early Life and Education
Pamela E. Bridgewater was born on April 14, 1947. Her hometown is Fredericksburg, Virginia. Her mother worked as a bank teller. Her father was a jazz trumpet player.
She went to Walker-Grant High School. After high school, she studied Political Science. She earned her first degree from Virginia State University in 1968. Later, she received a master's degree from the University of Cincinnati.
From Teacher to Diplomat
Pamela Bridgewater started her career as a teacher. She taught at several universities. These included Morgan State and Bowie State in Maryland. She also taught at Voorhees College in South Carolina.
In 1980, she decided to join the U.S. Foreign Service. This is a special group of people who work for the U.S. government. They represent the United States in other countries around the world.
Working Around the World
From 1980 to 1990, Pamela Bridgewater had important jobs overseas. She worked as a Vice-Consul in Brussels, Belgium. She also served as a Labor Attaché and Political Officer in Kingston, Jamaica.
Helping South Africa Change
Pamela Bridgewater spent a long time working in South Africa. She was a Political Officer in Pretoria from 1990 to 1993. She was also the first African-American woman to be a Consul General in Durban. A Consul General helps protect the interests of their country's citizens living abroad.
During her time in South Africa, she worked with Nelson Mandela. This was a very important time for the country. South Africa was moving away from apartheid. Apartheid was a system of unfair racial separation. Pamela Bridgewater helped with this big change.
Serving as an Ambassador
After her work in South Africa, Pamela Bridgewater continued her diplomatic career. From 1996 to 1999, she was the Deputy Chief of Mission in Nassau, Bahamas. This role means she was the second-in-command at the U.S. Embassy.
She then became the United States Ambassador to Benin. She served in this role from 2000 to 2002. Benin is a country in West Africa.
Later, she became the U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for African Affairs. In this job, she helped manage the U.S. relationships with 16 countries in West Africa. She also spent time as a Diplomat-in-Residence at Howard University. This means she shared her experience with students.
Pamela Bridgewater served as the United States Ambassador to Ghana. This was from 2005 to 2008. Ghana is another country in West Africa. Her last ambassador role was as the United States Ambassador to Jamaica. She held this position from 2010 to 2013.
Personal Life
Pamela Bridgewater is married to the Reverend Dr. A. Russell Awkard. He is a pastor at the New Zion Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky.
Awards and Recognition
Pamela Bridgewater has received many awards for her excellent work. These include:
- Three Department of State Superior Honor Awards
- The Presidential Meritorious Service Award
- An honorary doctorate of laws from Virginia State University in 1997
- The National Order of Benin in 2002
- The Charles E. Cobb Jr. Award for Initiative and Success in Trade Development in 2002
- The Dominion Resources Strong Leaders Award in 2004
- An honorary doctorate of laws from the University of Cincinnati in 2006
- An honorary doctorate from the University of Mary Washington in 2015
An honorary doctorate is a special degree given to someone. It recognizes their great achievements, even if they did not study for that specific degree.
