250 Years of U.S. Diplomatic Achievements

Before there was a State Department, there was Benjamin Franklin, sent to Paris in 1776 to secure the French support that helped win American independence. That’s where 250 years of U.S. diplomacy begins, and where this exhibit and conversation pick up the story.

As part of the nation’s 250th anniversary, the Council hosts this touring exhibit alongside a discussion on the leaders and decisions that shaped American foreign policy. The diplomats who protected the young republic and opened new trade routes, through two world wars, the Cold War, and into today’s fights over terrorism, technology, and global health.