The president and the ambassador Edward R. Dudley, right, meeting with Liberian President William Tubman, after Dudley was named the first Black U.S. ambassador. President Harry Truman elevated Dudley to ambassador to Liberia in 1949. (more) Edward R. Dudley First Black U.S. ambassador Written by Tracy Grant Tracy Grant is a senior editor at Encyclopaedia Britannica. She previously served as editor in chief, the first woman to hold that title. Tracy Grant Fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors Last updated June 5, 2026 •History Before Edward R. Dudley became the first Black person to hold the title of U.S. ambassador, he was a teacher, a bellhop, a lawyer, and a civil rights advocate. He knew firsthand the indignity of discrimination that often went unchecked in the first half of the 20th century. So when Pres. Harry Truman made Dudley ambassador to Liberia in 1949, it was not enough for him to serve in the State Department: He was determined...

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