Madeleine Albright – the First Woman Secretary of State

Madeleine Albright was born in Prague in 1937 and moved to America with her family as a child. While at university, a professor urged her to enter politics. She did, and in 1993 became the American ambassador to the United Nations. 3 years later, under the Clinton administration, she became the first woman to ever be appointed secretary of the state. She held the position for many years before retiring to pursue other things. During her tenure, she was widely known as a strong willed problem solver. She fiercely advocated for increased human rights and democracy throughout the world, and fought the spread of nuclear weapons from former Soviet countries to rogue nations such as North Korea. Albright has received countless awards and accolades for her contributions to diplomacy, democracy and world affairs, including honorary degrees from several universities. In 2012, Albright received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

by Jessica Bush