Patricia M. Derian facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Patricia M. Derian
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Derian and President Jimmy Carter, 1977
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| Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs | |
| In office August 17, 1977 – January 19, 1981 |
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| Preceded by | James M. Wilson, Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Elliott Abrams |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Patricia Murphy
August 12, 1929 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | May 20, 2016 (aged 86) Chapel Hill, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic Party |
| Spouses | Paul Derian Hodding Carter III |
| Education | University of Virginia School of Nursing |
Patricia "Patt" Murphy Derian (born August 12, 1929 – died May 20, 2016) was an important American activist. She worked hard for civil rights and human rights. Patt Derian fought against racism in Mississippi. Later, she became a senior diplomat, serving as the Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs from 1977 to 1981. People remember her as a brave champion who stood up for human rights around the world.
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Early Life and Activism
Patricia Murphy was born in New York City. She grew up in Danville, Virginia. She studied nursing at the University of Virginia School of Nursing and finished in 1952. After graduating, she married Paul Derian and worked as a nurse.
In 1959, Patt Derian moved to Jackson, Mississippi. There, she became very involved in the Civil Rights Movement. She volunteered with Head Start, a program that helps young children. She also supported efforts to end segregation in public schools. This meant making sure schools were open to all students, no matter their race.
Patt Derian helped create the Loyalist Democrats. This group challenged the all-white official political delegation in Mississippi. She was chosen as one of Mississippi's delegates to the 1968 Democratic National Convention. She continued her civil rights work into the 1970s. She led the Southern Regional Council and was part of the American Civil Liberties Union.
Working for Human Rights
During the 1976 U.S. presidential election, Patt Derian worked for the Carter-Mondale campaign. After Jimmy Carter won, he chose her for a new role. She became the Coordinator for Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs.
President Carter later made this job even more important. It became the Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs. Patt Derian started this role on August 17, 1977. She led a new office called the Bureau of Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs. In this job, she worked to improve how the U.S. government handled human rights issues. This included helping refugees and prisoners of war.
In 1978, Patt Derian married Hodding Carter III. He was also working for the State Department at the time.
Standing Up for What's Right
Patt Derian believed that the United States should always support human rights. She spoke out against leaders who treated their people badly. She argued that the U.S. should not support governments that used torture or jailed people for their beliefs. She always said that when it comes to human rights, you must "play it straight." This meant being honest and clear about what is right.
For example, she believed the U.S. should not help the Shah of Iran. She felt this way even before the Iranian Revolution.
Patt Derian also traveled to Argentina in 1979. She investigated reports of serious human rights abuses there. Later, in 1985, she returned to testify in a historic trial called the Trial of the Juntas. She openly accused military leaders of torturing prisoners. An Argentinian journalist, Jacobo Timerman, said Patt Derian saved him from being executed.
She also supported other brave leaders. These included Benigno Aquino Jr. in the Philippines and Kim Dae-jung in South Korea. When Kim Dae-jung became president, he invited her as a special guest to his inauguration.
Protecting Information
In December 2016, it was revealed that Patt Derian removed her State Department files. She did this just before Ronald Reagan became president in 1981. She was worried that new officials might share information with foreign governments. This could put her informants, who helped her learn about human rights abuses, in danger.
Patt Derian also shared important information in 1987. She revealed that in 1976, Secretary of State Henry Kissinger had secretly allowed Argentina's military rulers to use harsh tactics against their own people. She said it "sickened" her that an American official could make decisions that led to people's deaths.
Later Life and Legacy
Patt Derian passed away in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, on May 20, 2016. She had been suffering from Alzheimer's disease.
After her death, former President Carter shared a statement. He said that Patt Derian spent many hours meeting with victims of human rights abuses. He called her a "champion of oppressed people around the world." He believed that because of her strong efforts, many human rights activists survived difficult times. They then helped bring freedom to different parts of the world.
See also
In Spanish: Patricia Derian para niños
