Statement of the Association of Black American Ambassadors (ABAA) on the Announced Reduction in Force (RIF) at the U.S. Department of State
The Association of Black American Ambassadors (ABAA) expresses grave concern regarding the decision of President Trump and Secretary of State Rubio to gut the world’s best and most effective diplomatic corps through a Reduction in Force (RIF) effective July 11. The administration’s approach represents the worst kind of bureaucratic slash-and-burn tactics. True reform requires careful […]
ABAA Remembers Ambassador Ruth A. Davis, Leader, Diplomat, and Champion for Opportunity
The Association of Black American Ambassadors (ABAA) laments the May 3, 2025, passing of the U.S. Foreign Service’s first African American woman Career Ambassador Ruth A. Davis. She was a pioneering diplomat and great champion of opportunity for all through her contributions to ABAA and other organizations such as the Thursday Luncheon Group (TLG), that […]
ABAA Statement on State Department Reorganization
We represent African American retired Ambassadors. We write to express our serious concern about the proposed reorganization plan for the State Department. To maintain America’s leading position in world affairs, to strengthen U.S. alliances and partnerships, and to counter America’s adversaries, we need a strong, vibrant, diverse and inclusive State Department, capable of meeting the […]
ABAA Statement on General Charles Q. Brown
The Association of Black American Ambassadors (ABAA) is dismayed by the unjust and politically motivated dismissal of General Charles Q. Brown as Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. General Brown, a highly decorated officer with over three decades of outstanding service, has demonstrated unparalleled leadership, strategic vision, and commitment to our national security. General Brown’s dismissal […]
Amb. Susan Rice and Jen Rubin on Trump’s wrecking-ball impact on international relations
From The Contrarian This special Contrarians’ Day interview with former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, and Jen Rubin lays out Trump’s wrecking-ball impact on U.S. international relations. This includes shattering our trust with European allies, the fatal consequences of cutting off USAID funds, and much more. Ambassador Susan Rice is a former United […]
Statement on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA)
The Association of Black American Ambassadors (ABAA) is a non-profit organization representing those who have served as chiefs of mission, having been appointed by the president of the United States and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. As proud foreign policy professionals in diplomacy, development and defense, both career and non-career, we have supported and implemented […]
ABAA Statement on the Proposed Shutdown of USAID
The Association of Black American Ambassadors (ABAA) supports a strong global U.S. diplomatic presence and a professional Foreign Service that reflects the character and diversity of America. We write with deepening concern about a series of presidential Executive Orders published since January 21, that upend years of settled bipartisan foreign and domestic policy. They cover a […]
Foreign Service Promotion Process Falls Short of Diversity Goals, Audit Finds
Article Source: American DiplomacyImage courtesy of the Government Accountability Office. by Charles A. Ray Every spring, members of the U.S. Foreign Service are required to submit performance evaluation reports, and every summer, dozens of panels review those reports and determine who deserves to be promoted to the next level in the bureaucratic hierarchy. Like the […]
BBC News Interview with Amb. Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kW9Edy0MCG4 ICC Issues arrest warrant for Israel’s Netanyahu.
Clifton R. Wharton Jr. (1926–2024), former president of MSU
Source: Legacy.com Clifton R. Wharton Jr. was a former Michigan State University president and deputy secretary of state who broke racial barriers when he took the MSU post in 1970. When Wharton began his tenure as president of Michigan State University in 1970, he became the first Black president of a major, predominantly white U.S. public […]
