Edward R. Dudley
| Edward R. Dudley | |
|---|---|
| Borough President of Manhattan | |
|
In office January 31, 1961 – December 31, 1964 |
|
| Preceded by | Hulan E. Jack |
| Succeeded by | Constance Baker Motley |
| United States Ambassador to Liberia | |
|
In office May 6, 1949 – June 15, 1953 |
|
| President |
Harry Truman Dwight Eisenhower |
| Preceded by | Himself |
| Succeeded by | Jesse D. Locker |
| Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Liberia | |
|
In office October 18, 1948 – March 2, 1949 |
|
| President | Harry Truman |
| Preceded by | Raphael O'Hara Lanier |
| Succeeded by |
Himself Promoted to Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary March 18, 1949 |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Edward Richard Dudley March 11, 1911 South Boston, Virginia, U.S. |
| Died | February 10, 2005 (aged 93) Manhattan, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Rae Oley Dudley |
| Alma mater |
Johnson C. Smith University Howard University St. John's University School of Law |
Himself
Edward Richard Dudley (March 11, 1911 – February 10, 2005) was the first African-American to hold the rank of Ambassador of the United States, serving as Ambassador to Liberia from 1949 to 1953.
Dudley graduated with a B.S. degree from Johnson C. Smith College in 1932 where he became a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, and then taught school in Gainsboro, Virginia. He studied dentistry for a year on a scholarship at Howard University, and then moved to New York City. His wife was Rae {Elizabeth} Olley Dudley and had one child Edward Richard Dudley jr.
In New York, Dudley worked odd jobs, among them as stage manager for Orson Welles at a public works theater project. In 1938, he enrolled at St. John's University School of Law, graduating with an LL.B. in 1941. For a brief period he practiced law, entered Democratic politics in Harlem, and was an Assistant New York State Attorney General in 1942. In 1942, he married Rae Oley, and they had a son, Edward R. Dudley, Jr.
In 1943, he joined the N.A.A.C.P. legal team. As an assistant special counsel, he wrote briefs and prepared cases seeking the admission of black students to Southern colleges, equal pay for black teachers, and an end to discrimination in public transportation.
He was executive assistant to the Governor of the Virgin Islands from 1945 to 1947, and was then appointed by President Harry S. Truman as Minister to Liberia in 1948, and Ambassador in 1949.
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