Edward J. Perkins
Encyclopedia
Edward Joseph Perkins is a former American
diplomat. He served as U.S. Ambassador to Liberia
, South Africa
, and the United Nations 1992-1993. He was later Director of the US State Department's Diplomatic Corps.
Perkins was born in Sterlington, Louisiana
, son of Edward Joseph Perkins, Sr. and Tiny Estella Noble Holmes. He grew up in Pine Bluff, AR and graduated in 1947 from Jefferson High School in Portland, Oregon
. He earned his B.A. from the University of Maryland University College
in 1967, and his M.A. and Doctor of Public Administration from the University of Southern California
. He is an active member of Kappa Alpha Psi
fraternity and holds the highest honor the fraternity bestows on its members, the Laurel Wreath award.
He married Lucy Chen-mei Liu on Sept. 9, 1962. They had two children: Katherine Karla Shih-Tzu and Sarah Elizabeth Shih-Yin.
After serving in the U.S. Army and Marine Corps, including stints in Tokyo and South Korea, he held numerous positions in the Department of State and Foreign Service. He was appointed ambassador to Liberia
in 1985, and in 1986 was appointed ambassador to South Africa
, where he would serve until 1989. He returned home to serve in the State Department until 1992, when he was appointed ambassador to the United Nations and U.S. Representative to the U.N. Security Council. In 1993 he was appointed representative to the Commonwealth of Australia
, where he served until 1996 before retiring at the rank of Career Minister in the United States Foreign Service.
He taught at the University of Oklahoma
where he served as Senior Vice Provost Emeritus of International Programs at the International Program Center, and Professor Emeritus of the School of International and Area Studies. He is a member of the American Academy of Diplomacy.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
diplomat. He served as U.S. Ambassador to Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, and the United Nations 1992-1993. He was later Director of the US State Department's Diplomatic Corps.
Perkins was born in Sterlington, Louisiana
Sterlington, Louisiana
Sterlington is a town in northern Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 1,276 at the 2000 census.Actor Ed Nelson, a co-star of ABC's Peyton Place during the 1960s, retired to Sterlington from his native New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina.-Geography:Sterlington is...
, son of Edward Joseph Perkins, Sr. and Tiny Estella Noble Holmes. He grew up in Pine Bluff, AR and graduated in 1947 from Jefferson High School in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. He earned his B.A. from the University of Maryland University College
University of Maryland University College
The University of Maryland University College is located in the unincorporated community of Adelphi in Prince George's County, Maryland in the United States. Serving over 90,000 students worldwide, UMUC is the largest 4-year public university in Maryland and one of the largest distance learning...
in 1967, and his M.A. and Doctor of Public Administration from the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
. He is an active member of Kappa Alpha Psi
Kappa Alpha Psi
Kappa Alpha Psi is a collegiate Greek-letter fraternity with a predominantly African American membership. Since the fraternity's founding on January 5, 1911 at Indiana University Bloomington, the fraternity has never limited membership based on color, creed or national origin...
fraternity and holds the highest honor the fraternity bestows on its members, the Laurel Wreath award.
He married Lucy Chen-mei Liu on Sept. 9, 1962. They had two children: Katherine Karla Shih-Tzu and Sarah Elizabeth Shih-Yin.
After serving in the U.S. Army and Marine Corps, including stints in Tokyo and South Korea, he held numerous positions in the Department of State and Foreign Service. He was appointed ambassador to Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
in 1985, and in 1986 was appointed ambassador to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, where he would serve until 1989. He returned home to serve in the State Department until 1992, when he was appointed ambassador to the United Nations and U.S. Representative to the U.N. Security Council. In 1993 he was appointed representative to the Commonwealth of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, where he served until 1996 before retiring at the rank of Career Minister in the United States Foreign Service.
He taught at the University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
where he served as Senior Vice Provost Emeritus of International Programs at the International Program Center, and Professor Emeritus of the School of International and Area Studies. He is a member of the American Academy of Diplomacy.
Writings
- Mr. Ambassador, Warrior for Peace (memoirs,) published by The University of Oklahoma Press in 2006.
- The Palestinian Refugees: Old Problems - New Solutions (Studies in peace politics in the Middle East) - co-editor with Joseph Ginat, Sussex Academic Press, 2002.
- The Middle East Peace Process: Vision Versus Reality (Studies in peace politics in the Middle East) - co-editor with Joseph Ginat, Sussex Academic Press, 2002.
- Palestinian Refugees: Traditional Positions and New Solutions = co-editor with Joseph Ginat, University of Oklahoma Press, 2001.
- The seedlings of hope: U.S. policy in Africa, U.S. Department of State, 1989.