Samuel W. Lewis

Who was Samuel W. Lewis?

Samuel Winfield Lewis was an American diplomat. During his lengthy career with the United States Department of State he served as Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs, U.S. ambassador to Israel and Director of Policy Planning. Lewis also headed the United States Institute of Peace from 1987 through 1993.

Born in Houston, Texas, Lewis received an A.B. from Yale University in 1952 and an M.A. from Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies in 1954.

Lewis joined the Foreign Service in 1954 and served as consular officer at Naples. From 1955 to 1959, he was a political officer and acting principal officer in Florence. From 1959 to 1961, he was officer in charge of Italian Affairs in the State Department. From 1961 to 1962, Lewis served as Special Assistant to the Under Secretary of State.

In 1963-64 he was a visiting fellow at Princeton University. He served as Deputy Assistant Director for Technical Cooperation for AID in Rio de Janeiro, on detail, and in 1966 he was executive assistant to the Ambassador in Rio de Janeiro.

In 1967 and 1968, Lewis was Assistant Director for Development in the Office of Brazilian Affairs at AID, and in 1968 he became Deputy Director of that Office In 1968 and 1969, he was a senior staff member on the National Security Council at the White House.