Spelman College honors the life and legacy of Ambassador Ruth A. Davis, C’65, a pioneering diplomat whose career exemplified the values of excellence, service, and global engagement. As the first African-American woman to serve as director general of the Foreign Service, Ambassador Davis' journey was deeply influenced by her experiences at Spelman College. Reflecting on her time at Spelman, Ambassador Davis remarked:
Taking French at Spelman helped me in my first assignment overseas. Perhaps the most exciting career to which one could aspire, the Foreign Service gives one the opportunity to represent America abroad and offers exposure to different cultures and languages.”
Born in Phoenix, Arizona, and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Ambassador Davis graduated magna cum laude from Spelman in 1966 with a degree in sociology. As a Merrill Scholar, she spent 15 months studying and traveling throughout Europe and the Middle East, an experience that ignited her passion for international affairs. She later earned a master's degree from the University of California, Berkeley's School of Social Work.
In 1969, Ambassador Davis joined the U.S. Foreign Service, beginning her career as a Consular Officer in Kinshasa, Zaire. Over the next two decades, she served in Nairobi, Tokyo and Naples, and became the first woman to serve as Senior Watch Officer in the State Department’s Operations Center.
As Consul General in Barcelona, Spain (1987–1991), she played a key role in organizing the 1992 Olympic Games and supported Atlanta’s successful bid for the 1996 Olympics. From 1992 to 1995, she served as U.S. Ambassador to Benin, where she supported the country’s transition to democracy and promoted education initiatives.
In 1997, Ambassador Davis became the first African-American director of the Foreign Service Institute, where she revolutionized diplomatic training by emphasizing leadership development and expanding global readiness programs.
In 2001, she was appointed Director General of the Foreign Service and director of Human Resources. In this role, she led the Diplomatic Readiness Initiative, which expanded the Foreign Service by more than 40%, addressing critical staffing shortages and enhancing U.S. diplomatic reach worldwide.
Over the course of her career, Ambassador Davis received numerous honors, including:
She also received honorary degrees from Spelman College and Middlebury College. In recognition of her lasting impact, a conference room at the Foreign Service Institute in Arlington, Virginia, bears her name.
Ambassador Davis dedicated her life to diplomacy, mentorship and public service. She opened doors for countless diplomats, particularly women and people of color, and helped redefine what leadership in American foreign policy could look like. Spelman College is proud to honor her legacy as a trailblazer who exemplified the college’s core values of excellence, service and global engagement. Her life and work will continue to inspire generations to come.