Letter from Ebenezer Bassett to Secretary of State Hamilton Fish
In this letter, Ebenezer Bassett accepts the position of Minister Resident and Consul General at Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Upon his appointment, Bassett became the first African American and Pequot man to serve as chief of a diplomatic mission. Bassett would complete eight years of diplomatic and consular service during the administration of President Ulysses S. Grant.
As was common for letters accepting an overseas post, Bassett relays that he will report for duty in Port-au-Prince on June 1, 1869. He also gives his place and date of birth (Litchfield, CT, October 16, 1833) and current residence (Philadelphia, PA). During his time as Consul General, Bassett was directly involved in a foreign relations crisis when he provided humanitarian aid and shelter to refugees who were deemed enemies by the Haitian president. After five months he successfully saw the peaceful conclusion to the situation that ultimately led to improved relations between Haiti and the United States.
Ebenezer Bassett was one of the leading African American figures of the 19th century. He was a contemporary and friend of Frederick Douglass who encouraged Black men to fight for the Union Army in the Civil War, and educated Black students at the first Historically Black College and University (Cheyney University). After his term as Minister Resident and Consul General, Bassett continued working with the Haitian government and then serving as a secretary to Frederick Douglass during his term as the Consul General to Haiti 20 years later.
Letter from Ebenezer Bassett to Secretary of State Hamilton Fish, April 26, 1869, National Archives Identifier: 188974690.
Letter from Ebenezer Bassett to Secretary of State Hamilton Fish, page 2, April 26, 1869, National Archives Identifier: 188974690.
View and download the Letter from Ebenezer Bassett to Secretary of State Hamilton Fish in the National Archives Catalog. You can explore more records held in the National Archives at College Park through the National Archives Catalog or by visiting our research room in person. These records are located in Record Group 59: General Records of the Department of State, Series: Despatches from Diplomatic Officers, 1789–1906.