Edward J. Perkins

Edward Joseph Perkins (June 8, 1928 – November 7, 2020) was an American career diplomat who served as U.S. Ambassador to Liberia, South Africa, the United Nations, and Australia. He also served as the director of the United States State Department's Diplomatic Corps.
Early life and education.
Perkins was born in Sterlington, Louisiana. He grew up in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and graduated in 1947 from Jefferson High School in Portland, Oregon. He earned his B.A. from the University of Maryland, College Park in 1967, and his M.A. and Doctor of Public Administration from the University of Southern California. He was an active member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity.
Career.
After serving in the United States Army and United States Marine Corps, including stints in Tokyo and South Korea, he held numerous positions in the United States Department of State and United States Foreign Service. He was appointed ambassador to Liberia in 1985, and in 1986 was appointed ambassador to South Africa, where he served until 1989. He returned to the United States to serve in the State Department until 1992, when he was appointed United States Ambassador to the United Nations and U.S. Representative to the United Nations Security Council. In 1993, he was appointed representative to the Commonwealth of Australia, where he served until 1996 before retiring at the rank of Career Minister in the United States Foreign Service.
He taught at the University of Oklahoma where he served as Senior Vice Provost Emeritus of International Programs at the International Program Center, and Professor Emeritus of the School of International and Area Studies. He was a member of the American Academy of Diplomacy. Perkins died on November 7, 2020 after a stroke.