Pamela E. Bridgewater
Encyclopedia
Pamela E. Bridgewater is a United States career diplomat, most recently posted as the U.S. Ambassador to Jamaica.
, the daughter of a bank teller and a jazz trumpeter, and attended Walker-Grant High School. She has two degrees in Political Science, graduating with a BA from Virginia State University
in 1968, and with a MA from the University of Cincinnati
. Her career was initially in teaching, working at Maryland universities Morgan State
and Bowie State
, and Voorhees College in South Carolina, before entering the U.S. Foreign Service in 1980.
Between 1980 and 1990 she was posted as Vice-Consul to Brussels
, and Labor Attaché/Political Officer in Kingston, Jamaica
. At the Department of State
Bridgewater was the longest serving diplomat in South Africa, posted as Political Officer at Pretoria from 1990 to 1993, and as the first African-American woman appointed Consul General at Durban, from 1993 to 1996. Here she worked with Nelson Mandela
during the transition of South Africa away from apartheid.
From 1996 to 1999 she was Deputy Chief of Mission in Nassau, Bahamas. Bridgewater was a member and president of the 42nd Senior Seminar, the U.S. Department of State's most prestigious professional development program, from 1999 to 2000, before serving as U.S. Ambassador to Benin from October 2000 to January 2003. Subsequently she was appointed U.S. deputy assistant secretary for African affairs in December 2002, where she managed the African bureau's relationships with 16 countries in West Africa. She served as Diplomat-in-Residence at Howard University
from September 2004 to May 2005. From June 2005 to July 2008 Bridgewater was the U.S. Ambassador to Ghana.
Biography
Bridgewater was born in Fredericksburg, VirginiaFredericksburg, Virginia
Fredericksburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia located south of Washington, D.C., and north of Richmond. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 24,286...
, the daughter of a bank teller and a jazz trumpeter, and attended Walker-Grant High School. She has two degrees in Political Science, graduating with a BA from Virginia State University
Virginia State University
Virginia State University is a historically black and land-grant university located north of the Appomattox River in Chesterfield, in the Richmond area. Founded on , Virginia State was the United States's first fully state-supported four-year institution of higher learning for black Americans...
in 1968, and with a MA from the University of Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
. Her career was initially in teaching, working at Maryland universities Morgan State
Morgan State University
Morgan State University, formerly Centenary Biblical Institute , Morgan College and Morgan State College , is a historically black college in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Morgan is Maryland's designated public urban university and the largest HBCU in the state of Maryland...
and Bowie State
Bowie State University
Bowie State University , is a public university located on 355½ acres in unincorporated Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, north of the suburban city of Bowie. Bowie State is part of the University System of Maryland...
, and Voorhees College in South Carolina, before entering the U.S. Foreign Service in 1980.
Between 1980 and 1990 she was posted as Vice-Consul to Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, and Labor Attaché/Political Officer in Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
. At the Department of State
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
Bridgewater was the longest serving diplomat in South Africa, posted as Political Officer at Pretoria from 1990 to 1993, and as the first African-American woman appointed Consul General at Durban, from 1993 to 1996. Here she worked with Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
during the transition of South Africa away from apartheid.
From 1996 to 1999 she was Deputy Chief of Mission in Nassau, Bahamas. Bridgewater was a member and president of the 42nd Senior Seminar, the U.S. Department of State's most prestigious professional development program, from 1999 to 2000, before serving as U.S. Ambassador to Benin from October 2000 to January 2003. Subsequently she was appointed U.S. deputy assistant secretary for African affairs in December 2002, where she managed the African bureau's relationships with 16 countries in West Africa. She served as Diplomat-in-Residence at Howard University
Howard University
Howard University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States...
from September 2004 to May 2005. From June 2005 to July 2008 Bridgewater was the U.S. Ambassador to Ghana.
Recognition
- Department of State Superior Honor Awards (3)
- Presidential Meritorious Service Award
- Honorary doctorate of laws from Virginia State University in 1997
- National Order of Benin in 2002
- Charles E. Cobb, Jr. Award for Initiative and Success in Trade Development in 2002
- Dominion Resources Strong Leaders Award 2004
- Honorary doctorate of laws from the University of Cincinnati in 2006