Ambassador to Luxembourg

In 1949, President Truman named Perle Mesta the U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg. The choice of Perle for the role was made in an effort to improve the position of women in politics, as she was only the third woman in the U.S. to be named to a diplomatic post. Perhaps unsurprisingly, though many disapproved of her selection. Reporters and commentators harped on her apparent lack of experience or training in foreign affairs, and there were those in Luxembourg's government who were outwardly disappointed that their new minister was not only inexperienced, but also a woman.

Undeterred, Perle was determined to make the most of her appointment in Luxembourg. She spent much of her time there directly interacting with the people, visiting local farms, mines, and businesses. Putting her hostess skills to work, Perle organized community gatherings and parties for all of Luxembourg's mayors, hundreds of children from local orphanages, and some 25,000 U.S. troops who were stationed nearby.

"Bess Truman, wife of President Harry S. Truman, and her daughter Margaret sandwich Oklahoman Perle Mesta as they shake hands during a luncheon in the late 1940s. President Truman appointed Mesta U.S. minister to Luxembourg in 1949." Brandy McDonnell, May 28, 2006. The Oklahoman. Courtesy Oklahoma Hall of Fame Archives.

She also created a scholarship endowment for local students that would allow them to pursue their education in the U.S. on the condition that they return to Luxembourg and apply that education towards the betterment of their nation. Perle managed to prove herself as an adept government ambassador and was beloved by the people of Luxembourg. She was recognized by the government of Luxembourg with the Ordre de la Couronne de Chêne (Order of the Oak Crown), the first woman to receive the honor. Back in the U.S., Perle was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws by Fairleigh Dickinson University in Rutherford, New Jersey. After resigning from her post to Luxembourg, Perle continued to serve as an ambassador in an unofficial capacity, travelling the world to meet the leaders of 19 different countries.

The presidential party at the Inaugural Ball held at the National Guard Armory in Washington, D.C., January, 20, 1949. Perle Mesta, third from left, is pictured between President Harry S. Truman and First Lady Bess Truman. Courtesy National Archives and Records Administration.

View of the Embassy of the United States of America in Luxembourg in 1964. Courtesy U.S. Department of State.