William B. Edmondson facts for kids

William Brockway Edmondson (born February 6, 1927, died December 5, 2013) was an American diplomat. A diplomat is someone who represents their country in other nations. He worked for the United States government and served as the American Ambassador to South Africa from 1978 to 1981.

Early Life and Education

William Edmondson was born in St. Joseph, Missouri. He grew up mostly in Nebraska. After finishing high school in Peru, Nebraska, he joined the U.S. Army. He served in the Army from 1944 to 1948 and became a First Lieutenant.

He went to college at the University of Nebraska, earning a degree in 1950. Then, he continued his studies at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, getting his master's degree in 1951.

Starting His Diplomatic Career

In 1951, Mr. Edmondson began working for the United States Department of State as an intern. The Department of State is the part of the U.S. government that handles foreign policy and international relations.

That same year, he married Donna Elizabeth Kiechel, whom he had met at the University of Nebraska.

First Overseas Assignments

In 1952, he was appointed as a Vice Consul in Dar es Salaam, Tanganyika (which is now part of Tanzania). He worked there from 1953 to 1955. From 1955 to 1957, he served as an economic officer in Bern, Switzerland.

In 1957 and 1958, he studied African affairs at Northwestern University. This helped him prepare for future roles related to Africa.

Working in Washington and Africa

From 1958 to 1960, Mr. Edmondson worked as an intelligence research specialist at the State Department. He helped gather and understand information about other countries. In 1960 and 1961, he was the acting chief of the West Africa Division.

Roles in Ghana and Zambia

He then moved to Accra, Ghana, where he worked as a political officer from 1961 to 1964. After that, he returned to the State Department in Washington, D.C., and managed affairs related to Ghana from 1964 to 1965.

From 1965 to 1969, he was the Deputy Chief of Mission in Lusaka, Zambia. This role is like being the second-in-command at an embassy.

Further Training and Leadership Roles

In 1969 and 1970, he attended the National War College. This college helps train leaders for important government and military roles.

After his training, he worked as an educational and cultural affairs officer at the State Department in 1970 and 1971. From 1971 to 1974, he was the Director of African Programs.

Ambassador to South Africa

From 1974 to 1976, William Edmondson served as the Deputy Chief of Mission in South Africa. This experience prepared him for his next big role. From 1976 to 1978, he was the Deputy Assistant Secretary for African Affairs at the State Department.

A Challenging Time

In 1978, President Jimmy Carter chose Mr. Edmondson to be the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of South Africa. This was a very important and challenging time in South Africa. The country had a system called apartheid, which meant that people were separated and treated unfairly based on their race. The white minority government ruled, and Black people had very few rights.

The U.S. government, led by President Carter, strongly disagreed with apartheid. They supported civil and political rights and wanted South Africa to have a democratic government where everyone had a say. As the U.S. Ambassador, Mr. Edmondson was the public face of these policies. He worked to show South Africa that the U.S. wanted to see fair treatment for all people.

When he left his post in 1981, some people in South Africa hoped for better relations with the new U.S. President, Ronald Reagan.

Later Career and Retirement

After finishing his service as Ambassador to South Africa in 1981, Mr. Edmondson worked in the Inspector General’s Office at the U.S. Department of State. He eventually became the Deputy Inspector General. He retired from the State Department in 1986.

Family Life

Throughout his career, William Edmondson was joined by his wife, Donna Kiechel Edmondson. They had two children: Barbara Edmondson Schneider and Paul William Edmondson. They also had four grandchildren: Aaron, Katie, Michael, and Masha.

Both William and Donna Edmondson were members of DACOR, Inc., an organization for foreign affairs professionals. Ambassador Edmondson even served as its president from 1993 to 1995.