Video Transcript

Paul Washington—Early Days in the Civil Service:

I met most of the minority Foreign Service officers coming through the Executive Secretariat at the time – and most of those arriving to work in the Executive Secretariat on the line, which were very few and far between.  And those I met in other buildings and departments since working there.  I managed to find something in every bureau, or some contact or liaison to be involved [with]. 

At first I was working primarily in mailing out the Secretary’s personal mail.  Now John Foster Dulles wrote to almost everybody in the world and around the country – everyday.  You would get stacks like this.  And he would sign some with that crazy signature of his, and he would initial off some.  I could pretty much sign his name.  We did not have an autopen at the time.  I was always curious and fascinated by the subject matter.  I read most of it, and I read it primarily to help me work expeditiously.  Because there was another special office set up with people at the GS-13 to 15 levels, and then his personal secretary.  I’m trying to remember her name.  I will remember it after a while, because she eventually married the Under Secretary for Management, Mr. [William] Macomber.  I admired him, because he came down one day to insure that I got the job and to stay on duty, because he always admired the work I did in that weekend that we worked together to get this information to all the Members of Congress that were at home somewhere, and then to move ahead to try to set up this meeting he wanted to debrief them.  And being helpful in that regard, I think Macomber became a very good friend.  He always was right there for me anytime I asked anything or wanted something.