On May 7, 1885, Dr. John E. W. Thompson—an African American graduate of Yale University Medical School—was appointed U.S. Minister Resident and Consul General to Haiti. A trailblazer in both medicine and diplomacy, Thompson’s appointment marked one of the earliest high-ranking diplomatic roles for a Black American. He was tasked with strengthening U.S.-Haiti relations during a time when the Caribbean nation held deep symbolic and strategic importance in the Americas. His dual identity as a physician and statesman exemplified the rising influence of educated Black professionals during the post-Reconstruction era.
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