Delano Lewis
Encyclopedia
Delano Eugene Lewis is an American
attorney
, businessman, and diplomat
. He was the ambassador to South Africa
from 1999 to 2001, and previously held leadership roles with the Peace Corps
, National Public Radio, and the U.S. diplomatic corps
.
", Lewis was named for Franklin Delano Roosevelt
, although his name is pronounced "Del-AYE-no". He is the only child of a Raymond Ernest Lewis, a porter for the Santa Fe Railroad, and Enna L. Lewis (née
Wordlow), a homemaker.
Lewis attended Sumner High School, graduating in 1956. He attended Boys State
in his junior and senior years of high school. He graduated from the University of Kansas
in 1960, where he was a classmate of Wilt Chamberlain
. He earned a law degree
from Washburn University School of Law
, in Topeka, Kansas
in 1963. He had married in 1960, and worked full time at the Menninger Clinic
while attending law school.
. He was an associate director and country director for the Peace Corps in Nigeria
and Uganda
from 1966 to 1969.
Lewis was a legislative assistant to Senator Edward Brooke
and Delegate Walter E. Fauntroy
. He led Marion Barry
's transition team in 1978 and his financial committee in 1982.
He joined The Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Company
in 1973 as a public affairs
manager, becoming its CEO
in 1990. In 1988, Lewis served a one-year term as president of the Greater Washington Board of Trade
, and began a term as president of the newly formed City National Bank of Washington, which eventually closed in 1993.
In 1993, Lewis became president and CEO of National Public Radio. During his tenure, he served for three years on the board
of Apple Computer, citing "pressing time demands" as the reason for leaving in 1997. He resigned from NPR in 1998.
Lewis was also a member of the board of directors of Black Entertainment Television
, and has served on the board of Colgate-Palmolive
, Halliburton
, and Eastman Kodak
.
President
Bill Clinton
named Lewis U.S. ambassador
to South Africa
, a post he served in from 1999 to 2001. He was sworn in by federal judge John Conway
, a law-school classmate. Lewis and his wife moved to Las Cruces, New Mexico
, where he started a consultancy, Lewis & Associates. In 2006, he was named a senior fellow at New Mexico State University
. The following year, he was named as the founding director of New Mexico State University's International Relations Institute.
for Washington, D.C., which passed in 1973
. He was a chair of the home rule committee for VOICE, the Voice of Informed Community Expression, a group which had been formed after the 1968 riots
in Washington. In that capacity, and as a legislative aide to Fauntroy, he testified before Senate
committees on the matter.
He later ran for a seat on the city council, losing to Marion Barry. It was his only run for political office, although he was considered a leading candidate for mayor of DC for years, and was described as a power broker in Washington, D.C. politics. When he resigned from NPR, he declared that he would not be running for any public office.
fraternity, and was elected president while at University of Kansas.
Lewis and his wife, the former Gayle Carolyn Jones, were married in 1960, and they have four sons: Delano, Jr., Geoffrey, Brian, and Phill
.
Among the many civic awards Lewis has earned, Washingtonian
named him as a "Washingtonian of the Year" in 1978. A Baptist
by birth, he converted to Roman Catholicism
when he married. Lewis was awarded Catholic University's President's Medal, also in 1978. In January 2009, he was celebrated as Kansan of the Year.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, businessman, and diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
. He was the ambassador to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
from 1999 to 2001, and previously held leadership roles with the Peace Corps
Peace Corps
The Peace Corps is an American volunteer program run by the United States Government, as well as a government agency of the same name. The mission of the Peace Corps includes three goals: providing technical assistance, helping people outside the United States to understand US culture, and helping...
, National Public Radio, and the U.S. diplomatic corps
Diplomatic corps
The diplomatic corps or corps diplomatique is the collective body of foreign diplomats accredited to a particular country or body.The diplomatic corps may, in certain contexts, refer to the collection of accredited heads of mission who represent their countries in another state or country...
.
Biography
Born into a family of "ardent DemocratsDemocratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
", Lewis was named for Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
, although his name is pronounced "Del-AYE-no". He is the only child of a Raymond Ernest Lewis, a porter for the Santa Fe Railroad, and Enna L. Lewis (née
Married and maiden names
A married name is the family name adopted by a person upon marriage. When a person assumes the family name of her spouse, the new name replaces the maiden name....
Wordlow), a homemaker.
Lewis attended Sumner High School, graduating in 1956. He attended Boys State
Boys/Girls State
Boys State and Girls State are summer leadership and citizenship programs sponsored by the American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary for high school students between their junior and senior years. Boys and Girls State programs both began in 1937 and are held in each of the U.S. states ,...
in his junior and senior years of high school. He graduated from the University of Kansas
University of Kansas
The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
in 1960, where he was a classmate of Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt Chamberlain
Wilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain was an American professional NBA basketball player for the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers; he also played for the Harlem Globetrotters prior to playing in the NBA...
. He earned a law degree
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from Washburn University School of Law
Washburn University School of Law
The Washburn University School of Law, commonly referred to as Washburn Law, is a public law school located on the main campus of Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas. Washburn Law was founded in 1903. The school has 79 faculty members and 445 students...
, in Topeka, Kansas
Topeka, Kansas
Topeka |Kansa]]: Tó Pee Kuh) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Shawnee County. It is situated along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was...
in 1963. He had married in 1960, and worked full time at the Menninger Clinic
Menninger Foundation
The Menninger Foundation was founded in 1919 by the Menninger family in Topeka, Kansas, and consists of a clinic, a sanatorium, and a school of psychiatry, all of which bear the Menninger name. In 2003, the Menninger Clinic moved to Houston. The foundation was started by Drs. Karl, Will, and...
while attending law school.
Career
After graduation, Lewis went to work as an attorney in the U.S. Justice Department and later in the Office of Compliance in the Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionEqual Employment Opportunity Commission
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is an independent federal law enforcement agency that enforces laws against workplace discrimination. The EEOC investigates discrimination complaints based on an individual's race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, perceived intelligence,...
. He was an associate director and country director for the Peace Corps in Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
and Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
from 1966 to 1969.
Lewis was a legislative assistant to Senator Edward Brooke
Edward Brooke
Edward William Brooke, III is an American politician and was elected to the United States Senate as a Republican from Massachusetts in 1966, defeating his Democratic opponent, Endicott Peabody, 60.7%–38.7%...
and Delegate Walter E. Fauntroy
Walter E. Fauntroy
Walter Edward Fauntroy is the former pastor of the New Bethel Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., and a civil rights activist. He is also a former member of the United States Congress and was a candidate for the 1972 Democratic presidential nomination, as well as a human rights activist...
. He led Marion Barry
Marion Barry
Marion Shepilov Barry, Jr. is an American Democratic politician who is currently serving as a member of the Council of the District of Columbia, representing DC's Ward 8. Barry served as the second elected mayor of the District of Columbia from 1979 to 1991, and again as the fourth mayor from 1995...
's transition team in 1978 and his financial committee in 1982.
He joined The Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Company
C&P Telephone
The Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company, usually known as C&P Telephone, was a d/b/a name for four Bell Operating Companies providing service to Washington, D.C., Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia....
in 1973 as a public affairs
Public affairs (broadcasting)
Public affairs, a broadcasting industry term, refers to television programs which focuses on matters of politics and public policy. Among commercial broadcasters, such programs are often only to satisfy Federal Communications Commission regulatory expectations and are not scheduled in prime time...
manager, becoming its CEO
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
in 1990. In 1988, Lewis served a one-year term as president of the Greater Washington Board of Trade
Greater Washington Board of Trade
The Greater Washington Board of Trade is a network of business and non-profit leaders in Washington, D.C.Since its creation in 1889, the Greater Washington Board of Trade has provided advocacy, research, and programs for the area's business community...
, and began a term as president of the newly formed City National Bank of Washington, which eventually closed in 1993.
In 1993, Lewis became president and CEO of National Public Radio. During his tenure, he served for three years on the board
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
of Apple Computer, citing "pressing time demands" as the reason for leaving in 1997. He resigned from NPR in 1998.
Lewis was also a member of the board of directors of Black Entertainment Television
Black Entertainment Television
Black Entertainment Television is an American, Viacom-owned cable network based in Washington, D.C.. Currently viewed in more than 90 million homes worldwide, it is the most prominent television network targeting young Black-American audiences. The network was launched on January 25, 1980, by its...
, and has served on the board of Colgate-Palmolive
Colgate-Palmolive
Colgate-Palmolive Company is an American diversified multinational corporation focused on the production, distribution and provision of household, health care and personal products, such as soaps, detergents, and oral hygiene products . Under its "Hill's" brand, it is also a manufacturer of...
, Halliburton
Halliburton
Halliburton is the world's second largest oilfield services corporation with operations in more than 70 countries. It has hundreds of subsidiaries, affiliates, branches, brands and divisions worldwide and employs over 50,000 people....
, and Eastman Kodak
Eastman Kodak
Eastman Kodak Company is a multinational imaging and photographic equipment, materials and services company headquarted in Rochester, New York, United States. It was founded by George Eastman in 1892....
.
President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
named Lewis U.S. ambassador
Ambassadors from the United States
This is a list of ambassadors of the United States to individual nations of the world, to international organizations, to past nations, and ambassadors-at-large.Ambassadors are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate...
to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, a post he served in from 1999 to 2001. He was sworn in by federal judge John Conway
John Edwards Conway
John Edwards Conway is a United States federal judge.Born in Joplin, Missouri, Conway received a B.S. from U.S. Naval Academy in 1956 and was a U.S. Air Force Lieutenant from 1956 to 1960. He was in the U.S. Air Force Reserve from 1960 to 1970, receiving an LL.B...
, a law-school classmate. Lewis and his wife moved to Las Cruces, New Mexico
Las Cruces, New Mexico
Las Cruces, also known as "The City of the Crosses", is the county seat of Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 97,618 in 2010 according to the 2010 Census, making it the second largest city in the state....
, where he started a consultancy, Lewis & Associates. In 2006, he was named a senior fellow at New Mexico State University
New Mexico State University
New Mexico State University at Las Cruces , is a major land-grant university in Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States...
. The following year, he was named as the founding director of New Mexico State University's International Relations Institute.
Politics
Lewis was involved in the effort to establish home ruleHome rule
Home rule is the power of a constituent part of a state to exercise such of the state's powers of governance within its own administrative area that have been devolved to it by the central government....
for Washington, D.C., which passed in 1973
District of Columbia Home Rule Act
The District of Columbia Home Rule Act is a United States federal law passed on December 24, 1973 which devolved certain congressional powers of the District of Columbia to local government, furthering District of Columbia home rule...
. He was a chair of the home rule committee for VOICE, the Voice of Informed Community Expression, a group which had been formed after the 1968 riots
1968 Washington, D.C. riots
Five days of race riots erupted in Washington, D.C. following the April 4, 1968 assassination of Civil Rights Movement-leader Martin Luther King, Jr. Civil unrest affected at least 110 U.S...
in Washington. In that capacity, and as a legislative aide to Fauntroy, he testified before Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
committees on the matter.
He later ran for a seat on the city council, losing to Marion Barry. It was his only run for political office, although he was considered a leading candidate for mayor of DC for years, and was described as a power broker in Washington, D.C. politics. When he resigned from NPR, he declared that he would not be running for any public office.
Personal
Lewis is a member of Alpha Phi AlphaAlpha Phi Alpha
Alpha Phi Alpha is the first Inter-Collegiate Black Greek Letter fraternity. It was founded on December 4, 1906 at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Its founders are known as the "Seven Jewels". Alpha Phi Alpha developed a model that was used by the many Black Greek Letter Organizations ...
fraternity, and was elected president while at University of Kansas.
Lewis and his wife, the former Gayle Carolyn Jones, were married in 1960, and they have four sons: Delano, Jr., Geoffrey, Brian, and Phill
Phill Lewis
Phill Lewis is an American film and television actor,director and comedian, often seen in comedic roles. He is best known for his role as Mr. Moseby on Disney Channel's The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and its spin-off, The Suite Life on Deck. He also played T.C...
.
Among the many civic awards Lewis has earned, Washingtonian
Washingtonian (magazine)
Washingtonian is a monthly magazine distributed in the Washington, DC area since 1965. The magazine describes itself as "the magazine Washington lives by." The magazine's core focuses are local feature journalism, guide book-style articles, and real estate advice.-Editorial Content:Washingtonian...
named him as a "Washingtonian of the Year" in 1978. A Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
by birth, he converted to Roman Catholicism
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
when he married. Lewis was awarded Catholic University's President's Medal, also in 1978. In January 2009, he was celebrated as Kansan of the Year.