US Diplomat. He was the first African-American to serve in a diplomatic office for the United States. A man of African-American and Pequot Indian ancestry, Bassett was educated at the Connecticut Normal School and Yale University. A teacher by profession, Bassett resided in Philadelphia and played a vital role in the Union's Civil War effort by encouraging black men to enlist. In 1869 President Grant appointed him US Minister to Haiti, making him the first African-American to achieve such distinction. He served as Minister until 1877, including a year in which he concurrently served as Consul General in the Dominican Republic during the absence of a Minister. After completing his assignment in Haiti Bassett returned to education, including serving as Principal of the Institute for Colored Youth in Philadelphia, where he taught and mentored students who later became prominent in the civil rights movement and other fields.
US Diplomat. He was the first African-American to serve in a diplomatic office for the United States. A man of African-American and Pequot Indian ancestry, Bassett was educated at the Connecticut Normal School and Yale University. A teacher by profession, Bassett resided in Philadelphia and played a vital role in the Union's Civil War effort by encouraging black men to enlist. In 1869 President Grant appointed him US Minister to Haiti, making him the first African-American to achieve such distinction. He served as Minister until 1877, including a year in which he concurrently served as Consul General in the Dominican Republic during the absence of a Minister. After completing his assignment in Haiti Bassett returned to education, including serving as Principal of the Institute for Colored Youth in Philadelphia, where he taught and mentored students who later became prominent in the civil rights movement and other fields.
Bio by: Bill McKern
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