Charles Woodruff Yost was a United States Ambassador to the African Union.
Charles Woodruff Yost ( November 6 , 1907 -- May 21 , 1981 ) was a career U.S. diplomat who was assigned as his country 's representative to the United Nations from 1969 to 1971 . During the American Civil War ( 1861 -- 1865 ) , the Union referred to the United States of America and specifically to the national government of president Abraham Lincoln and the 20 free states and 5 border states that supported it .