| 词条 | Draft:Cynthia Shepard Perry |
| 释义 |
{{Infobox ambassador | honorific_prefix = | name = Cynthia Shepard Perry | honorific_suffix = | image = | alt = | order = 10th | ambassador_from = United States | country = Sierra Leone | term_start = November 20, 1986 | term_end = August 30, 1989 | predecessor = Arthur Winston Lewis | successor = Johnny Young | president = Ronald Reagan | order2 = 11th | ambassador_from2 = United States | country2 = Burundi | term_start2 = February 12, 1990 | term_end2 = February 28, 1993 | predecessor2 = James Daniel Phillips | successor2 = Bob Krueger | president2 = George H. W. Bush | pronunciation = | birth_name = Cynthia Helena Norton | birth_date = {{birth-date and age|November 11, 1928}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | death_cause = | resting_place = | resting_place_coordinates = | citizenship = | nationality = | party = Republican Party | otherparty = | height = | spouse = {{marriage|James Otto Shepard|1946|1971|reason=div}} {{marriage|James Olden Perry|1971|2006|reason=his death}} | partner = | relations = | children = 6 | parents = | mother = | father = | relatives = | residence = | education = Ed.D. University of Mass. | alma_mater = B.A. Indiana State University | occupation = Diplomat, Professor, Banker | profession = | known_for = African and education expertise | salary = | net_worth = | cabinet = | committees = | portfolio = | awards = }} Dr. Cynthia Shepard Perry, U.S. Ambassador to Sierra Leone and Burundi, and American Executive Director of the African Development Bank from 2001 to 2007, worked throughout her life for racial and gender equality, international cooperation, and African economic development. Early lifeCynthia Helena Norton was born in 1928 in the mining town of Burnett, Indiana, the daughter of a "colored" coal miner and housewife.[1] She grew up in the Afro-American community of Lost Creek, Indiana, near Terre Haute, the sixth of nine children.[2] Musically, artistically, and academically talented, she excelled at the segregated one-room elementary school she attended, and graduated from Otter Creek High School in 1946, the only black student in most of the advanced classes.[2] She dreamed of becoming an ambassador when she grew up,[2] and, helped by her white high school principal Harold Lamb,[2] she developed a life plan to accomplish her goals: 1) earn an undergraduate degree in political science; 2) earn an advanced degree in international studies; and 3) affiliate with a major political party.[3][4] Cynthia checked out the local politicians and decided that as a black{{efn|She claimed mixed black, Native American, and white ancestry}}woman, she would have a better chance with Eisenhower's Republican party.[2] She worked with the chair of the local Republican party, won a scholarship to nearby Indiana State University, Terre Haute, and was on her way. MarriageIn Nov. 1946 Cynthia Norton married James Shepard,[5] a handsome mechanic.[2] Rather than supporting her dreams, however, Shepard got her pregnant whenever she announced her intention to continue college. [6] By attending night classes and working days, Cynthia Shepard, mother of six, finally earned her B.A. in political science from ISU in 1968. [7] When she was recruited to join an innovative master's/doctoral program in Massachusetts in 1968, her husband, hoping to keep her home, demanded a divorce.[6] Earning a Doctorate (Ed.D. 1972)Cynthia joined the University of Massachusett's Center for International Education (CIE) in 1968 to earn her doctorate in education (Ed.D.).[6] Dwight W. Allen, dean of CIE, was a Baha'i, a faith that advocates the equality of races and sexes and in using peaceful means to resolve disputes. These ideas resonated so strongly with Cynthia's own beliefs, she converted to the Baha'i faith in 1969.[2] For her doctoral degree Cynthia proposed to improve race relations by developing African Studies curricula for public schools. Knowledge of Africa could break down racial prejudice, improve black teachers' self-image, expose cultural stereotyping, and balance western-oriented history. After winning federal funding for a Teacher Corps project, she recruited over 30 former Peace Corps volunteers in 1969 to develop and test African Studies using their own first-hand experience in Africa. The Teacher Corps interns earned M.Ed. degrees developing and testing the new African Studies curriculum in the public schools of Worcester, MA. Her program was very successful, and her interns went on to become desegregation consultants, teachers, principals, professors, authors, international literacy consultants,[8], composers,[9] musicians, and TV producers.[10] UMass accepted her dissertation in Sept. 1971, and awarded her Ed.D. degree in Feb. 1972.[11] Second MarriageCynthia's divorce from Shepard was finalized in 1971, and she married Dr. James Olden Perry, a well-to-do widower with two children and a business in Houston. Dr. J.O. Perry was also a Teacher Corps director, and Cynthia became an Associate professor at Texas Southern University (TSU). Together they trained Peace Corps volunteers going to Sierra Leone from 1971-1973 at TSU. Despite financial security and common interests, traditional gender roles created marital problems. For example, when Cynthia was offered a dream job in Kenya as UNESCO program director, J.O. refused to go. When he was offered the exact same position, they went in 1973.[2] Dr. Cynthia Shepard Perry taught ethics at the University of Nairobi, Kenya, learned Swahili, trained Peace Corps volunteers, and served as a consultant to US Information Service in Zambia, Kenya, and Nigeria while her husband worked for UNESCO. CareerOperations Crossroads Africa (1969)Cynthia accompanied students from Colby College to Ethiopia and Kenya on a summer secretarial training project. This was her first trip to Africa. The goal was to train Africans for secretarial positions which were mostly filled by British citizens.[12] She was close by when Tom Mboya, a popular politician and threat to the Kenyan president, was assassinated.[13] UNECA (1969-1973)Cynthia designed a commercial training program funded by the United Nations Economic Commission in Addis (UNECA). This took her to East Africa at least once a year.[14] Economic Commission for Africa (1976-1978)Dr. Cynthia Perry served as consultant to Ethiopia, acquiring insight into the culture and economy.[15] Texas Southern University (1978-1982)When the Perry family returned to Texas after Dr. J.O. Perry's 1973-1976 UNESCO assignment, Dr. Cynthia Shepard Perry served as full Professor and Dean of International Affairs at Texas Southern University.[16] Her expertise in education and Africa caught the attention of fellow Texas Republican George W. Bush. USAID (1982-1986)Dr. Cynthia Shepard Perry served four years in Washington, D.C. as Chief of the Education and Human Resources Division in the Africa Bureau of the United States Agency for International Development, establishing policies and educational programs for the 43 Sub-Saharan nations receiving U.S. assistance at the time.[17] She travelled repeatedly to Africa and worked closely with foreign service officers. Ambassador to Sierra Leone (1986-1989)President Ronald Reagan invited Dr. Cynthia Shepard Perry to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Sierra Leone in 1986. This small English-speaking country rich in natural resources, especially diamonds and titanium, had been plundered by its previous 17-year president and lacked infrastructure and ethnic unity. Amb. Perry worked closely with President Momoh to balance ethnic groups,[18] but it was difficult to encourage U.S. investment in a deteriorating situation. Later civil war funded by "blood" diamonds broke out, and in 2014 Ebola hit.[19] Ambassador to Burundi (1990-1993)George H. W. Bush named Amb. Perry to Burundi, a French-speaking country in central Africa once devastated by the introduction of European diseases.[20] Although ethnic conflict made the job challenging, Amb. Perry later described Burundi as "gorgeous"[21] and "Camelot".[22] After Democrat Bill Clinton won the presidency in 1992, Amb. Perry was recalled before national elections were held.[23] The Perry family left Burundi before subsequent assassinations precipitated civil war in 1993 between the two major ethnic groups. Cynthia returned to her academic position at Texas Southern University, then joined FCA as director of international investment advisory services.[24] American Director of the African Development Bank (2001-2007)George W. Bush appointed Amb. Perry to a five year term as U.S. Director of the African Development Bank in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. She analyzed requests for project funding and oversaw the distribution of $25 million in microfinance funds for business start-ups, mostly for women. She reported in her memoirs that this post enabled her to do the most for humanity. There were difficult moments, however. When civil war broke out in Ivory Coast, the bank moved to Tunisia. Dr. J.O. Perry died in 2006 in Tunisia of Parkinson's disease.[6] RetirementBy the time she retired, Amb. Perry felt that she had served as "ambassador to all 53 nations on the continent of Africa". She now lives in Houston, but visits her sons and grandchildren in Namibia, Africa and Lost Creek, Indiana. She uses a wheel chair, plays her baby grand piano, and paints. UMass, Indiana State U., the Baha'is and other organizations have showered her with awards and honors, and named her one of their prominent alumni and members. The Cynthia Shepard Perry papers are archived in the Special Collections and University Archives of UMass Amherst. AwardsUMass awarded Dr. Perry an honorary doctorate of Public Service (1988), A Distinguished Alumni Award (2002), and a Salute to Service Award (2014) for outstanding contributions to public service[25] The NAACP presented Amb. Perry with its President's Award.[26] Notes{{Notelist}}References1. ^Birth Certificate, Indiana State Board of Health, State Reg. No. 54777, located on Ancestry.com by Vicki Casteel, Director of Patron and Outreach Services, Indiana Archives and Records Administration 2. ^1 2 3 4 5 6 7 All Things being Equal: One Woman's Journey, Stonecrest, Houston, TX, {{ISBN|0967557100}}, 2001. 3. ^Kennedy, Charles Stuart, March 21, 1999 Interview with Cynthia Shepard Perry, Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training Foreign Affairs Oral History Project, Library of Congress, page 1, on-line at www.loc.gov/item/mfdipbib000912 4. ^Crystal Mikel-Reynolds at http://www.indstate.edu/sites/default/files/media/student-affairs/images/ambassador-cynthia-shepard-perry-essay.pdf 5. ^Marriage Application Record, Vigo County, IN, page 429, provided by Indiana archivist Vicki Casteel. 6. ^1 2 3 Mikel-Reynolds, Crystal Ph.D. with Ambassador Cynthia Shepard Perry, Ph.D. Ambassador Dr. Cynthia Shepard Perry: A Sycamore Destined for Greatness, 2017 7. ^Indiana State University alumni list 8. ^David J. Rosen,Ed.D. umwebdev.oit.umass.edu 9. ^Hartford, Owen, The Frog Prince opera, and compositions for the Mandolin 10. ^Albert Hannans, Chronicle, ABC 11. ^UMass archives 12. ^ADST Interview, 1999 13. ^ADST 14. ^ADST 15. ^ADST 16. ^Archives, UMASS Center for International Education, College of Education 17. ^Kennedy, ADST Interview, March 21, 1999" 18. ^Kennedy, ADST Interview,March 21, 1999 19. ^History of Sierra Leone, Wikipedia 20. ^Burundi, Encyclopedia Brittanica 21. ^Kennedy,ADST Interview,March 21, 1999 22. ^Houston Chronicle, April 8, 1994, "Despite ethnic feuding teacher would return to Burundi 23. ^Kennedy, ADST Interview 24. ^Dallas Morning News, July 19, 2001 "6 more with Texas connections tapped for administration jobs 25. ^Center for International Education, College of Education Archives, Cynthia Shepard Perry (Ed.D. 1972). 26. ^UMAss College of Education Archives, Cynthia Shepard Perry Primary Sources and InterviewsPerry, Cynthia Shepard, All Things Being Equal, copyrighted May, 1998, published March 2000. Perry, Cynthia Shepard Perry, interviewed by Crystal Mikel-Reynolds, Dr. Cynthia Shepard Perry: A Sycamore Destined for Greatness", Indiana State U., 2017 Perry, Cynthia Shepard Perry, interviewed by Charles Stuart Kennedy starting March 21, 1999, Interview with Cynthia S. Perry, Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training (ADST), Foreign Affairs Oral History Project, copyright 2000, ADST, accessed 3/9/19. External links |
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