Christian Herter

:For Christian Herter, 19th-century New York decorator, see Herter Brothers.

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Christian Archibald Herter (March 28, 1895 – December 30, 1966) was a United States politician and statesman; Governor of Massachusetts, and Secretary of State 1959-1961.

Related Topics:
March 28 - 1895 - December 30 - 1966 - United States - Massachusetts - Secretary of State - 1959 - 1961

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He was born in Paris, France to American parents, and attended school there before moving to New York City, where he attended the Browning School. He graduated from Harvard University in 1915 and in the following year was attache to the American Embassy in Berlin. He participated in the 1919 meeting that resulted in the US Council on Foreign Relations.

Related Topics:
Paris, France - New York City - Browning School - Harvard University - 1915 - Berlin - 1919 - Council on Foreign Relations

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He married Mary Caroline Pratt in 1917. They had a son, also named Christian Herter, who is active in international relations.

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In 1931 Herter was first elected to the Massachusetts house of representatives, where he stayed until 1942, when he was elected as a Republican representative to Congress, and was notable as a supporter of the Marshall Plan. He stayed in Congress until 1953, when he was elected governor of Massachusetts. In 1956, Harold Stassen attempted (unsuccessfully) to get Eisenhower to replace Richard Nixon with Herter for vice-president.

Related Topics:
1931 - 1942 - Congress - Marshall Plan - 1953 - 1956 - Harold Stassen - Richard Nixon

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Herter did not run for governor in 1956, but soon (February 21, 1957) found himself appointed Under Secretary of State for the second term of the Eisenhower administration, and later, when John Foster Dulles became seriously ill, Christian Herter was appointed Secretary of State, April 22, 1959. (Dulles died a month later.)

Related Topics:
1956 - February 21 - 1957 - Eisenhower - John Foster Dulles - April 22 - 1959

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He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1961. As an unemployed "elder statesman" after the election of 1960, he served on various councils and commissions, and was a special representative for trade negotiations, working for both John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson until his death in 1966 at the age of 71.

Related Topics:
Presidential Medal of Freedom - 1961 - 1960 - John F. Kennedy - Lyndon Johnson - 1966

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Christian Herter's lifetime reputation was as an internationalist, especially interested in improving political and economic relations with Europe.

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In 1943, with Paul Nitze, Herter co-founded the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), which incorporated with the Johns Hopkins University in 1950. Today, the graduate school has campuses in Washington, DC, Bologna, Italy, and Nanjing, China, and is recognized as a world leader in international relations, economics, and policy studies.

Related Topics:
Paul Nitze - School of Advanced International Studies - Johns Hopkins University

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In 1968, the American Foreign Service Association established its Christian A. Herter Award to honor senior diplomats who speak out or otherwise challenge the status quo.

Related Topics:
1968 - American Foreign Service Association - Christian A. Herter Award

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The World Affairs Council of Boston ("WorldBoston" as of 2002), who Christian Herter helped organize in the 1940s, also has a Christian A. Herter Award honoring individual contributions to international relations.

Related Topics:
World Affairs Council of Boston - 2002 - 1940s - Christian A. Herter Award

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