List of secretaries of state of the United States facts for kids

Quick facts for kids United States Secretary of State
Official seal
Incumbent Antony Blinken since January 26, 2021
United States Department of State
Appointer	President of the United States
Inaugural holder	John Jay (acting) Thomas Jefferson
Formation	July 27, 1789
Succession	Fourth

The Secretary of State is a very important job in the United States government. This person is like the President's main helper for everything that happens with other countries. They are the country's top diplomat, working to build friendships and solve problems around the world. This list shows all the people who have held this important role.

Early Foreign Affairs Leaders (1781–1789)

Before the United States had its current government under the Constitution, it had a different system called the Articles of Confederation. In 1780, the old Congress created a department to handle foreign affairs.

On August 10, 1781, Robert R. Livingston from New York became the first person to lead foreign affairs. He served until 1783. Then, John Jay took over in 1784. He continued until 1789, when the new government under the Constitution began.

After the Constitution was signed, George Washington made the Department of Foreign Affairs official again on July 27, 1789. John Jay stayed in charge for a short time until Thomas Jefferson returned from France.

Secretaries of foreign affairs (1781–1789)

No.	Portrait	Name	State	Started	Left
1	Robert R. Livingston	Robert R. Livingston	New York	October 20, 1781	June 4, 1783
2	John Jay	John Jay	New York	December 21, 1784	March 4, 1789
—	John Jay (Acting)	John Jay Acting	New York	July 27, 1789	September 15, 1789

The Secretary of State Role Begins

On September 15, 1789, the government changed the name of the "Secretary of Foreign Affairs" to the "Secretary of State". The department also became the Department of State. This new role had more responsibilities, including some duties within the United States.

Thomas Jefferson officially became the first Secretary of State on March 22, 1790.

N°	Secretary		Party		Vote	Time in Office			State	President(s)
	Portrait	Name				Started	Left	Term
–	John Jay	John Jay (1745–1829)		Federalist	–	September 15, 1789	March 22, 1790	188 days	New York		George Washington
1	Thomas Jefferson	Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826)		Democratic- Republican	–	March 22, 1790	December 31, 1793	3 years, 284 days	Virginia
2	Edmund Randolph	Edmund Randolph (1753–1813)		Federalist	–	January 2, 1794	August 20, 1795	1 year, 232 days	Virginia
3	Timothy Pickering	Timothy Pickering (1745–1829)		Federalist	–	August 20, 1795	December 10, 1795	4 years, 265 days	Pennsylvania
						December 10, 1795	May 12, 1800
											John Adams
–	Charles Lee	Charles Lee (1758–1815)		Federalist	–	May 13, 1800	June 5, 1800	23 days	Virginia
4	John Marshall	John Marshall (1755–1835)		Federalist	–	June 13, 1800	February 4, 1801	264 days	Virginia
						February 4, 1801	March 4, 1801
–	Levi Lincoln Sr.	Levi Lincoln Sr. (1749–1820)		Democratic- Republican	–	March 5, 1801	May 1, 1801	57 days	Massachusetts		Thomas Jefferson
5	James Madison	James Madison (1751–1836)		Democratic- Republican	–	May 2, 1801	March 3, 1809	7 years, 305 days	Virginia
6	Robert Smith	Robert Smith (1757–1842)		Democratic- Republican	–	March 6, 1809	April 1, 1811	2 years, 26 days	Maryland		James Madison
7	James Monroe	James Monroe (1758–1831)		Democratic- Republican	30–0	April 2, 1811	September 30, 1814	5 years, 335 days	Virginia
						October 1, 1814	February 28, 1815
						February 28, 1815	March 3, 1817
–		John Graham (1774–1820)		Democratic- Republican	–	March 4, 1817	March 9, 1817	5 days	Kentucky		James Monroe
–	Richard Rush	Richard Rush (1780–1859)		Federalist	–	March 10, 1817	September 22, 1817	196 days	Pennsylvania
8	John Quincy Adams	John Quincy Adams (1767–1848)		Democratic- Republican	29–1	September 22, 1817	March 3, 1825	7 years, 162 days	Massachusetts
–		Daniel Brent (1770–1841)		Democratic- Republican	–	March 4, 1825	March 7, 1825	3 days	Virginia		John Quincy Adams
9	Henry Clay	Henry Clay (1777–1852)		Democratic- Republican	27–14	March 7, 1825	March 3, 1829	3 years, 361 days	Kentucky
				National Republican
–	James Alexander Hamilton	James Alexander Hamilton (1788–1878)		Democratic	–	March 4, 1829	March 27, 1829	23 days	New York		Andrew Jackson
10	Martin Van Buren	Martin Van Buren (1782–1862)		Democratic	25–7	March 28, 1829	May 23, 1831	2 years, 56 days	New York
11	Edward Livingston	Edward Livingston (1764–1836)		Democratic	–	May 24, 1831	May 29, 1833	2 years, 5 days	Louisiana
12	Louis McLane	Louis McLane (1786–1857)		Democratic		May 29, 1833	June 30, 1834	1 year, 32 days	Delaware
13	John Forsyth	John Forsyth (1780–1841)		Democratic	–	July 1, 1834	March 3, 1841	6 years, 245 days	Georgia
											Martin Van Buren
–		Jacob L. Martin (?–1848)		–	–	March 4, 1841	March 5, 1841	1 day	District of Columbia		William Henry Harrison
14	Daniel Webster	Daniel Webster (1782–1852)		Whig	–	March 6, 1841	May 8, 1843	2 years, 63 days	Massachusetts
											John Tyler
–	Hugh S. Legaré	Hugh S. Legaré (1797–1843)		Democratic	–	May 9, 1843	June 20, 1843	42 days	South Carolina
–		William S. Derrick (1802–1852)		–	–	June 21, 1843	June 23, 1843	2 days	Pennsylvania
15	Abel P. Upshur	Abel P. Upshur (1791–1844)		Whig	–	June 24, 1843	July 23, 1843	220 days	Virginia
						July 24, 1843	February 28, 1844
–	John Nelson	John Nelson (1791–1860)		Whig	–	February 29, 1844	March 31, 1844	31 days	Maryland
16	John C. Calhoun	John C. Calhoun (1782–1850)		Democratic	–	April 1, 1844	March 10, 1845	343 days	South Carolina
17	James Buchanan	James Buchanan (1791–1868)		Democratic	–	March 10, 1845	March 7, 1849	3 years, 362 days	Pennsylvania		James K. Polk
18	John M. Clayton	John M. Clayton (1796–1856)		Whig	–	March 8, 1849	July 22, 1850	1 year, 136 days	Delaware		Zachary Taylor
											Millard Fillmore
19	Daniel Webster	Daniel Webster (1782–1852)		Whig	–	July 23, 1850	October 24, 1852	2 years, 93 days	Massachusetts
–	Charles Magill Conrad	Charles Magill Conrad (1804–1878)		Whig	–	October 25, 1852	November 5, 1852	11 days	Louisiana
20	Edward Everett	Edward Everett (1794–1865)		Whig	–	November 6, 1852	March 3, 1853	117 days	Massachusetts
–	William Hunter	William Hunter (1805–1886)		–	–	March 4, 1853	March 7, 1853	3 days	Rhode Island		Franklin Pierce
21	William L. Marcy	William L. Marcy (1786–1857)		Democratic	–	March 7, 1853	March 6, 1857	3 years, 364 days	New York
22	Lewis Cass	Lewis Cass (1782–1866)		Democratic	–	March 6, 1857	December 14, 1860	3 years, 283 days	Michigan		James Buchanan
–	William Hunter	William Hunter (1805–1886)		–	–	December 15, 1860	December 16, 1860	1 day	Rhode Island
23	Jeremiah S. Black	Jeremiah S. Black (1810–1883)		Democratic	–	December 17, 1860	March 5, 1861	78 days	New York
24	William H. Seward	William H. Seward (1801–1872)		Republican	–	March 5, 1861	March 4, 1869	7 years, 364 days	New York		Abraham Lincoln
											Andrew Johnson
25	Elihu B. Washburne	Elihu B. Washburne (1816–1887)		Republican	–	March 5, 1869	March 16, 1869	11 days	Illinois		Ulysses S. Grant
26	Hamilton Fish	Hamilton Fish (1808–1893)		Republican	–	March 17, 1869	March 12, 1877	7 years, 360 days	New York
27	William M. Evarts	William M. Evarts (1818–1901)		Republican	44–2	March 12, 1877	March 7, 1881	3 years, 360 days	New York		Rutherford B. Hayes
28	James G. Blaine	James G. Blaine (1830–1893)		Republican	–	March 7, 1881	December 19, 1881	287 days	Maine		James A. Garfield
											Chester A. Arthur
29	Frederick Theodore Frelinghuysen	Frederick Theodore Frelinghuysen (1817–1885)		Republican	–	December 19, 1881	March 6, 1885	3 years, 77 days	New Jersey
30	Thomas F. Bayard	Thomas F. Bayard (1828–1898)		Democratic	–	March 7, 1885	March 6, 1889	3 years, 364 days	Delaware		Grover Cleveland
31	James G. Blaine	James G. Blaine (1830–1893)		Republican	–	March 7, 1889	June 4, 1892	3 years, 89 days	Maine		Benjamin Harrison
–	William F. Wharton	William F. Wharton (1847–1919)		Republican	–	June 4, 1892	June 29, 1892	25 days	Massachusetts
32	John W. Foster	John W. Foster (1836–1917)		Republican	–	June 29, 1892	February 23, 1893	239 days	Indiana
–	William F. Wharton	William F. Wharton (1847–1919)		Republican	–	February 24, 1893	March 6, 1893	10 days	Massachusetts
											Grover Cleveland
33	Walter Q. Gresham	Walter Q. Gresham (1832–1895)		Democratic	–	March 7, 1893	May 28, 1895	−97 years, 283 days	Illinois
–	Edwin F. Uhl	Edwin F. Uhl (1841–1901)		Democratic	–	May 28, 1895	June 9, 1895	12 days	Michigan
34	Richard Olney	Richard Olney (1835–1917)		Democratic	–	June 10, 1895	March 5, 1897	1 year, 268 days	Massachusetts
35	John Sherman	John Sherman (1823–1900)		Republican	–	March 6, 1897	April 27, 1898	1 year, 52 days	Ohio		William McKinley
36	William R. Day	William R. Day (1849–1923)		Republican	–	April 28, 1898	September 16, 1898	141 days	Ohio
–	Alvey A. Adee	Alvey A. Adee (1842–1924)		Independent	–	September 17, 1898	September 29, 1898	12 days	New York
37	John Hay	John Hay (1838–1905)		Republican	–	September 30, 1898	July 1, 1905	6 years, 274 days	District of Columbia
											Theodore Roosevelt
–	Francis B. Loomis	Francis B. Loomis (1861–1948)		Republican	–	July 1, 1905	July 18, 1905	17 days	Ohio
38	Elihu Root	Elihu Root (1845–1937)		Republican	–	July 19, 1905	January 27, 1909	3 years, 192 days	New York
39	Robert Bacon	Robert Bacon (1860–1919)		Republican	–	January 27, 1909	March 5, 1909	37 days	New York
40	Philander C. Knox	Philander C. Knox (1853–1921)		Republican	–	March 6, 1909	March 5, 1913	3 years, 364 days	Pennsylvania		William Howard Taft
41	William Jennings Bryan	William Jennings Bryan (1860–1925)		Democratic	–	March 5, 1913	June 9, 1915	2 years, 96 days	Nebraska		Woodrow Wilson
42	Robert Lansing	Robert Lansing (1864–1928)		Democratic	–	June 9, 1915	June 24, 1915	4 years, 249 days	New York
						June 24, 1915	February 13, 1920
–	Frank Polk	Frank Polk (1871–1943)		Democratic	–	February 14, 1920	March 14, 1920	29 days	New York
43	Bainbridge Colby	Bainbridge Colby (1869–1950)		Democratic	–	March 23, 1920	March 4, 1921	346 days	New York
44	Charles Evans Hughes	Charles Evans Hughes (1862–1948)		Republican	–	March 5, 1921	March 4, 1925	3 years, 364 days	New York		Warren G. Harding
											Calvin Coolidge
45	Frank B. Kellogg	Frank B. Kellogg (1856–1937)		Republican	–	March 5, 1925	March 28, 1929	4 years, 23 days	Minnesota
											Herbert Hoover
46	Henry L. Stimson	Henry L. Stimson (1867–1950)		Republican	–	March 28, 1929	March 4, 1933	3 years, 341 days	New York
47	Cordell Hull	Cordell Hull (1871–1955)		Democratic	–	March 4, 1933	November 30, 1944	11 years, 271 days	Tennessee		Franklin D. Roosevelt
48	Edward Stettinius Jr.	Edward Stettinius Jr. (1900–1949)		Democratic	68–1	December 1, 1944	June 27, 1945	208 days	Virginia
											Harry S. Truman
–	Joseph Grew	Joseph Grew (1880–1965)		Independent	–	June 28, 1945	July 3, 1945	5 days	New Hampshire
49	James F. Byrnes	James F. Byrnes (1882–1972)		Democratic	–	July 3, 1945	January 21, 1947	1 year, 202 days	South Carolina
50	George C. Marshall	George C. Marshall (1880–1959)		Independent	–	January 21, 1947	January 20, 1949	1 year, 365 days	Pennsylvania
51	Dean Acheson	Dean Acheson (1893–1971)		Democratic	83–6	January 21, 1949	January 20, 1953	3 years, 365 days	Maryland
–	H. Freeman Matthews	H. Freeman Matthews (1899–1986)		Independent	–	January 20, 1953	January 21, 1953	1 day	Maryland		Dwight D. Eisenhower
52	John Foster Dulles	John Foster Dulles (1888–1959)		Republican	–	January 21, 1953	April 22, 1959	6 years, 91 days	New York
53	Christian Herter	Christian Herter (1895–1966)		Republican	93–0	April 22, 1959	January 20, 1961	1 year, 273 days	Massachusetts
–	Livingston T. Merchant	Livingston T. Merchant (1903–1976)		Independent	–	January 20, 1961	January 21, 1961	1 day	District of Columbia		John F. Kennedy
54	Dean Rusk	Dean Rusk (1909–1994)		Democratic	–	January 21, 1961	January 20, 1969	7 years, 365 days	New York
											Lyndon B. Johnson
–	Charles Bohlen	Charles E. Bohlen (1904–1974)		Independent	–	January 20, 1969	January 22, 1969	2 days	District of Columbia		Richard Nixon
55	William P. Rogers	William P. Rogers (1913–2001)		Republican	–	January 22, 1969	September 3, 1973	4 years, 224 days	Maryland
–	Kenneth Rush	Kenneth Rush (1910–1994)		Republican	–	September 3, 1973	September 22, 1973	19 days	Florida
56	Henry Kissinger	Henry Kissinger (1923–2023)		Republican	78–7	September 22, 1973	January 20, 1977	3 years, 120 days	District of Columbia
											Gerald Ford
–	Philip Habib	Philip Habib (1920–1992)		Independent	–	January 20, 1977	January 23, 1977	3 days	California		Jimmy Carter
57	Cyrus Vance	Cyrus Vance (1917–2002)		Democratic	Voice	January 23, 1977	April 28, 1980	3 years, 96 days	New York
–	Warren Christopher	Warren Christopher (1925–2011)		Democratic	–	April 28, 1980	May 2, 1980	4 days	California
–	David D. Newsom	David D. Newsom (1918–2008)		Independent	–	May 2, 1980	May 3, 1980	1 day	California
–		Richard N. Cooper (1934–2020)		Independent	–	May 3, 1980		0 days	Connecticut
–	David D. Newsom	David D. Newsom (1918–2008)		Independent	–	May 3, 1980	May 4, 1980	1 day	California
–	Warren Christopher	Warren Christopher (1925–2011)		Democratic	–	May 4, 1980	May 8, 1980	4 days	California
58	Edmund Muskie	Edmund Muskie (1914–1996)		Democratic	94–2	May 8, 1980	January 18, 1981	255 days	Maine
–	David D. Newsom	David D. Newsom (1918–2008)		Independent	–	January 18, 1981	January 22, 1981	4 days	California
59	Alexander Haig	Alexander Haig (1924–2010)		Republican	93–6	January 22, 1981	July 5, 1982	1 year, 164 days	Connecticut		Ronald Reagan
–	Walter J. Stoessel Jr.	Walter J. Stoessel Jr. (1920–1986)		Independent	–	July 5, 1982	July 16, 1982	11 days	California
60	George Shultz	George Shultz (1920–2021)		Republican	97–0	July 16, 1982	January 20, 1989	6 years, 188 days	California
–	Michael Armacost	Michael Armacost (b. 1937)		Independent	–	January 20, 1989	January 25, 1989	5 days	Maryland		George H. W. Bush
61	James Baker	James Baker (b. 1930)		Republican	99–0	January 25, 1989	August 23, 1992	3 years, 211 days	Texas
62	Lawrence Eagleburger	Lawrence Eagleburger (1930–2011)		Republican	–	August 23, 1992	December 8, 1992	150 days	Florida
						Recess	December 8, 1992					January 20, 1993
–		Arnold Kanter (1945–2010)		Independent	–	January 20, 1993		0 days	District of Columbia
–	Frank G. Wisner	Frank G. Wisner (b. 1938)		Independent	–	January 20, 1993		0 days	District of Columbia		Bill Clinton
63	Warren Christopher	Warren Christopher (1925–2011)		Democratic	Voice	January 20, 1993	January 17, 1997	3 years, 363 days	California
64	Madeleine Albright	Madeleine Albright (1937–2022)		Democratic	99–0	January 23, 1997	January 20, 2001	3 years, 363 days	District of Columbia
65	Colin Powell	Colin Powell (1937–2021)		Republican	Voice	January 20, 2001	January 26, 2005	4 years, 6 days	Virginia		George W. Bush
66	Condoleezza Rice	Condoleezza Rice (b. 1954)		Republican	85–13	January 26, 2005	January 20, 2009	3 years, 360 days	California
–	William J. Burns	William J. Burns (b. 1956)		Independent	–	January 20, 2009	January 21, 2009	1 day	District of Columbia		Barack Obama
67	Hillary Clinton	Hillary Clinton (b. 1947)		Democratic	94–2	January 21, 2009	February 1, 2013	4 years, 11 days	New York
68	John Kerry	John Kerry (b. 1943)		Democratic	94–3	February 1, 2013	January 20, 2017	3 years, 354 days	Massachusetts
–	Thomas A. Shannon Jr.	Thomas A. Shannon Jr. (b. 1958 )		Republican	–	January 20, 2017	February 1, 2017	12 days	Minnesota		Donald Trump
69	Rex Tillerson	Rex Tillerson (b. 1952)		Republican	55–43	February 1, 2017	March 31, 2018	1 year, 58 days	Texas
–	John J. Sullivan	John J. Sullivan (b. 1959)		Republican	–	April 1, 2018	April 26, 2018	25 days	Massachusetts
70	Mike Pompeo	Mike Pompeo (b. 1963)		Republican	57–42	April 26, 2018	January 20, 2021	2 years, 269 days	Kansas
–	Daniel Bennett Smith	Daniel Bennett Smith (b. 1956)		Independent	–	January 20, 2021	January 26, 2021	6 days	Virginia		Joe Biden
71	Antony Blinken	Antony Blinken (b. 1962)		Democratic	78–22	January 26, 2021	Incumbent	4 years, 146 days	New York

Secretaries of State: Longest and Shortest Terms

The Secretary of State job can last for different amounts of time. Some people serve for many years, while others are in the role for only a short period.

Cordell Hull served the longest as Secretary of State, from 1933 to 1944. That's over 11 years! He is the only person to have held the job for more than eight years.

On the other hand, Elihu B. Washburne was Secretary of State for only 11 days in 1869. He then became the ambassador to France.

Daniel Webster and James G. Blaine are the only Secretaries of State who served two terms that were not back-to-back. This means they left the job and then came back to it later.

Images for kids

• 

  Cordell Hull served for over 11 years.

• 

  Dean Rusk served for almost 8 years.

• 

  William H. Seward also served for almost 8 years.

• 

  Lawrence Eagleburger served for 43 days.

• 

  Robert Bacon served for 37 days.

• 

  Elihu B. Washburne served for 11 days.