Smith Hempstone
Encyclopedia
Smith Hempstone was a journalist, author, and the United States ambassador to Kenya
in 1989–93. He was a vocal proponent of democracy
, fighting for free elections in Kenya in 1991.
and graduated from the University of the South. He was a U.S. Marine
in the Korean War
(1950–1952), leaving as a Captain.
He did radio rewrite for the Associated Press
in Charlotte, North Carolina
(1952). He was a reporter at the Louisville Times, Louisville, Kentucky
(1953), rewrite man at National Geographic, Washington, D.C.
(1954), then a reporter at the Washington Star
(1955–1956). He was a fellow of the Institute of Current World Affairs
in Africa (1956–1960). He was a foreign correspondent for the Chicago Daily News
in Africa (1961–1964), and in Latin America
(1965). He was a foreign correspondent for the Washington Star in Latin America (1966), and Europe, (1967–1969). He was associate editor and editorial page director of the Star (1970–1975). He left the Star in 1975 after a disagreement with Joe L. Allbritton, its new owner. He wrote a syndicated twice-weekly column, "Our Times," beginning 1975.
He worked as the Africa correspondent for The Chicago Daily News, wrote several books, and wrote a syndiicated column carried by 90 newspapers. In 1982, he began working as editor of The Washington Times
, serving editor-in-chief after the departure of James R. Whelan
from 1984 to 1985.
He was appointed ambassador to Kenya by George H. W. Bush
in 1989, a time when the United States was beginning to push African countries toward democracy and human rights. Hempstone worked toward these goals by fighting for multi-party elections in Kenya in 1991, nine years after Kenyan president
Daniel arap Moi
had banned all parties except his own. The administration derided him, saying he failed to understand that strong, unified government was necessary to keep Kenya's tribal groups from splitting the country. He aided dissidents and befriended opponents of the administration, causing the African press to describe his style as "bulldozer diplomacy". The Kenyan government isolated him, and according to Hempstone in his book Rogue Ambassador: An African Memoir, attempted to kill him twice. Multi-party elections were ultimately held in 1992, and were won by Moi with 36% of the vote.
Hempstone died in 2006 in Suburban Hospital, Bethesda
, Maryland
, from complications of diabetes
.
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
in 1989–93. He was a vocal proponent of democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
, fighting for free elections in Kenya in 1991.
Biography
Hempstone attended George Washington UniversityGeorge Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
and graduated from the University of the South. He was a U.S. Marine
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
in the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
(1950–1952), leaving as a Captain.
He did radio rewrite for the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
in Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
(1952). He was a reporter at the Louisville Times, Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
(1953), rewrite man at National Geographic, Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
(1954), then a reporter at the Washington Star
Washington Star
The Washington Star, previously known as the Washington Star-News and the Washington Evening Star, was a daily afternoon newspaper published in Washington, D.C. between 1852 and 1981. For most of that time, it was the city's newspaper of record, and the longtime home to columnist Mary McGrory and...
(1955–1956). He was a fellow of the Institute of Current World Affairs
Institute of Current World Affairs
Founded in 1925 by wealthy American philanthropist Charles R. Crane, the Institute of Current World Affairs is a Washington, D.C-based 5013 which provides fellowships, allowing Americans under age 36 to live in a foreign country for two years. Their observations and research are published in...
in Africa (1956–1960). He was a foreign correspondent for the Chicago Daily News
Chicago Daily News
The Chicago Daily News was an afternoon daily newspaper published between 1876 and 1978 in Chicago, Illinois.-History:The Daily News was founded by Melville E. Stone, Percy Meggy, and William Dougherty in 1875 and began publishing early the next year...
in Africa (1961–1964), and in Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
(1965). He was a foreign correspondent for the Washington Star in Latin America (1966), and Europe, (1967–1969). He was associate editor and editorial page director of the Star (1970–1975). He left the Star in 1975 after a disagreement with Joe L. Allbritton, its new owner. He wrote a syndicated twice-weekly column, "Our Times," beginning 1975.
He worked as the Africa correspondent for The Chicago Daily News, wrote several books, and wrote a syndiicated column carried by 90 newspapers. In 1982, he began working as editor of The Washington Times
The Washington Times
The Washington Times is a daily broadsheet newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. It was founded in 1982 by Unification Church founder Sun Myung Moon, and until 2010 was owned by News World Communications, an international media conglomerate associated with the...
, serving editor-in-chief after the departure of James R. Whelan
James R. Whelan
James R. Whelan is a journalist and historian who served as the first editor-in-chief of The Washington Times, holding the position from 1982 to 1984...
from 1984 to 1985.
He was appointed ambassador to Kenya by George H. W. Bush
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
in 1989, a time when the United States was beginning to push African countries toward democracy and human rights. Hempstone worked toward these goals by fighting for multi-party elections in Kenya in 1991, nine years after Kenyan president
Heads of state of Kenya
-Heads of State of Kenya :-Affiliations:*KANU - Kenya African National Union*PNU - Party of National Unity-Latest election:-See also:*List of colonial heads of Kenya*Kenya**Heads of Government of Kenya**Vice-Presidents of Kenya...
Daniel arap Moi
Daniel arap Moi
Daniel Toroitich arap Moi was the President of Kenya from 1978 until 2002.Daniel arap Moi is popularly known to Kenyans as 'Nyayo', a Swahili word for 'footsteps'...
had banned all parties except his own. The administration derided him, saying he failed to understand that strong, unified government was necessary to keep Kenya's tribal groups from splitting the country. He aided dissidents and befriended opponents of the administration, causing the African press to describe his style as "bulldozer diplomacy". The Kenyan government isolated him, and according to Hempstone in his book Rogue Ambassador: An African Memoir, attempted to kill him twice. Multi-party elections were ultimately held in 1992, and were won by Moi with 36% of the vote.
Hempstone died in 2006 in Suburban Hospital, Bethesda
Bethesda, Maryland
Bethesda is a census designated place in southern Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, just northwest of Washington, D.C. It takes its name from a local church, the Bethesda Meeting House , which in turn took its name from Jerusalem's Pool of Bethesda...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, from complications of diabetes
Diabetes mellitus
Diabetes mellitus, often simply referred to as diabetes, is a group of metabolic diseases in which a person has high blood sugar, either because the body does not produce enough insulin, or because cells do not respond to the insulin that is produced...
.
Writings
- Letters from Africa to the Institute of Current World Affairs, New York (1956)
- Africa: Angry Young Giant, Praeger, 1961 (published in England as The New Africa, Faber, 1961).
- The New Africa (1961)
- Katanga Report, Faber, 1962
- Rebels, Mercenaries and Dividends: The Katanga Story, Praeger, 1962.
- A Tract of Time (novel), Houghton, 1966.
- India in Focus: Six Articles (1964)
- In the Midst of Lions (novel), Harper, 1968.
- United States Foreign Policy and the China Problem by Morton A. Kaplan, Douglas MacArthur, Smith Hempstone (1982)
- Chosin Marine: An Autobiography by Bill Davis, James H. Webb, Smith Hempstone (1986)
- Rogue Ambassador: An African Memoir (1997)
- (Editor) STA, an Illustrated History of St. Albans School, Glastonbury Press, 1981.
- Contributor to Saturday Evening Post, Atlantic Monthly, Reader's DigestReader's DigestReader's Digest is a general interest family magazine, published ten times annually. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, its headquarters is now in New York City. It was founded in 1922, by DeWitt Wallace and Lila Bell Wallace...
, U.S. News & World ReportU.S. News & World ReportU.S. News & World Report is an American news magazine published from Washington, D.C. Along with Time and Newsweek it was for many years a leading news weekly, focusing more than its counterparts on political, economic, health and education stories...
, and other magazines.