Remembering John Reinhardt: A Pioneer in Public Diplomacy
By: John Kirby, Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Public Affairs and U.S. Department of State’s Spokesperson.
During my routine trek to the State Department press briefing room, I walk down a hallway lined with photographs of my predecessors. As I’ve glanced at the photographs of these 34 accomplished assistant secretaries and spokespeople, I have often wondered about their individual stories.
Unfortunately, it is only with the recent passing of Ambassador John E. Reinhardt — the sole African-American lining the wall — that I learned his story. And, upon discovering it, I wish I had known it sooner.
Ambassador John E. Reinhardt served as Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs under Secretary of State Henry Kissinger — the first and only African American to serve in that role. He was also the first career diplomat to head the United States Information Agency (USIA) — and oversaw the Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs move from State to USIA during the late 1970s.
He distinguished himself during assignments in Japan, the Philippines, and Iran and became the first African American Ambassador posted to Nigeria. As some have noted, Ambassador Reinhardt had a flair for words –- once describing the leader of a Nigerian coup as “vainglorious, impetuous, corrupt, vindictive, intelligent, articulate, daring […] Among his considerable faults is not Idi Aminian stupidity.”
Ambassador Reinhardt’s advocacy for public diplomacy would continue well beyond his USIA career -– including board service with Georgetown University’s Institute of Diplomacy, the Middle East Institute, and the American Academy of Diplomacy.
Speaking on the impact of public diplomacy, Reinhardt once said this: “[P]ublic diplomacy as a foreign affairs endeavor has never been recognized as much as now in its great importance.” Time has not changed that perspective. In fact, perhaps, it has only become truer. In today’s increasingly interconnected world, where regional issues quickly transform into global challenges, the value of public diplomacy has never been greater.
Often when we reflect on the words and actions of great individuals in history, we say they “were ahead of their time.” Yet, sometimes, it is only with the passage of time that we can fully appreciate the wisdom of their insights and impact of their efforts. As we approach the end of African American History Month, and look back on the contributions of Ambassador Reinhardt — and other great men and women who have followed in his pioneering footsteps — it is clear that their work has laid a solid foundation for modern U.S. diplomacy. Ambassador Reinhardt’s words remain compellingly relevant against the backdrop of today’s diplomatic challenges, and are evidence of how his legacy lives within the walls of the State Department, the minds of the American people, and in our foreign policy.
Nice to finally meet you, Ambassador Reinhardt. Rest in peace.
This entry also appears on DipNote, the State Department’s official blog.
