Smith Hempstone
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Smith Hempstone (February 1, 1929–November 19, 2006) was a journalist, author, and the
United States ambassador Ambassadors of the United States are persons nominated by the president to serve as the country's diplomatic representatives to foreign nations, international organizations, and as ambassadors-at-large. Under Article II, Section 2 of the U.S ...
to
Kenya ) , national_anthem = " Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi ...
in 1989–93. He was a vocal proponent of
democracy Democracy (From grc, δημοκρατία, dēmokratía, ''dēmos'' 'people' and ''kratos'' 'rule') is a form of government in which people, the people have the authority to deliberate and decide legislation ("direct democracy"), or to choo ...
, advocating free elections for Kenya.


Biography

Hempstone attended
George Washington University The George Washington University (GW or GWU) is a Private university, private University charter#Federal, federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C. Chartered in 1821 by the United States Congress, GWU is the largest Higher educat ...
and graduated from the
University of the South The University of the South, familiarly known as Sewanee (), is a private Episcopal liberal arts college in Sewanee, Tennessee. It is owned by 28 southern dioceses of the Episcopal Church, and its School of Theology is an official seminary of ...
. He was a
U.S. Marine The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through com ...
in the
Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
(1950–52), leaving as a captain. He did radio rewrite for the
Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. ne ...
in
Charlotte, North Carolina Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...
, (1952). He was a reporter at the
Louisville Times ''The Louisville Times'' was a newspaper that was published in Louisville, Kentucky. It was founded in 1884 by Walter N. Haldeman, as the afternoon counterpart to ''The Courier-Journal'', the dominant morning newspaper in Louisville and the common ...
,
Louisville, Kentucky Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border ...
(1953), rewrite man at National Geographic,
Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
(1954), then a reporter at the
Washington Star ''The Washington Star'', previously known as the ''Washington Star-News'' and the Washington ''Evening Star'', was a daily afternoon newspaper published in Washington, D.C., between 1852 and 1981. The Sunday edition was known as the ''Sunday Sta ...
(1955–56). He was a fellow of the
Institute of Current World Affairs The Institute of Current World Affairs (ICWA) is an operating foundation established in 1925 by US industrial heir and magnate Charles Richard Crane to advance American understanding of international cultures and affairs by sending young professi ...
in Africa (1956–60). He served as a foreign correspondent for the
Chicago Daily News The ''Chicago Daily News'' was an afternoon daily newspaper in the midwestern United States, published between 1875 and 1978 in Chicago, Illinois. History The ''Daily News'' was founded by Melville E. Stone, Percy Meggy, and William Doughert ...
in Africa (1961–64) and in
Latin America Latin America or * french: Amérique Latine, link=no * ht, Amerik Latin, link=no * pt, América Latina, link=no, name=a, sometimes referred to as LatAm is a large cultural region in the Americas where Romance languages — languages derived f ...
(1965). He was a foreign correspondent for the Washington Star in Latin America (1966), and Europe, (1967–69). He was associate editor and editorial page director of the Star (1970–75). He left the Star in 1975 after a disagreement with Joe L. Allbritton, its new owner. He wrote a syndicated twice-weekly column, "Our Times," beginning 1975. Hempstone worked as the Africa correspondent for ''
The Chicago Daily News The ''Chicago Daily News'' was an afternoon daily newspaper in the midwestern United States, published between 1875 and 1978 in Chicago, Illinois. History The ''Daily News'' was founded by Melville E. Stone, Percy Meggy, and William Dougherty ...
'', wrote several books, and wrote a syndicated column carried by 90 newspapers. In 1982 he was named executive editor of the newly founded ''
Washington Times ''The Washington Times'' is an American conservative daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., that covers general interest topics with a particular emphasis on national politics. Its broadsheet daily edition is distributed throughout ...
'' and, following the resignation of editor and publisher James R. Whelan in 1984, briefly served as editor of the paper before being replaced by
Arnaud de Borchgrave Arnaud Charles Paul Marie Philippe de Borchgrave (26 October 1926 – 15 February 2015) was a Belgian-American journalist who specialized in international politics. Following a long career with the news magazine ''Newsweek'', covering 17 wars i ...
. He was appointed ambassador to Kenya by George H. W. Bush in 1989, a time when the United States was beginning to push African countries toward democracy and human rights. Hempstone worked toward these goals by fighting for multiparty elections in Kenya in 1991, nine years after Kenyan president
Daniel arap Moi Daniel Toroitich arap Moi ( ; 2 September 1924 – 4 February 2020) was a Kenyan politician who served as the second president of Kenya from 1978 to 2002. He was the country's longest-serving president. Moi previously served as the third vice ...
had banned all parties except his own. The Moi administration derided him, saying he failed to understand that strong, unified government was necessary to keep Kenya's tribal groups from splitting the country. He aided dissidents and befriended opponents of the administration, causing the African press to describe his style as "bulldozer diplomacy." The Kenyan government isolated him and, according to Hempstone's book ''Rogue Ambassador: An African Memoir,'' twice attempted to kill him. Multiparty elections were ultimately held in 1992, and were won by Moi with 36 percent of the vote. In 2001 former Kenyan government minister
Nicholas Biwott Nicholas Kipyator Kiprono arap Biwott (1940 – 11 July 2017) was a Kenyan businessman, politician and philanthropist. Biwott served as a civil servant, Member of Parliament and government minister, during which time he held eight senior minist ...
successfully sued Hempstone (High Court Civil Suit Case No. 1273) for suggesting in his autobiography that Biwott had been involved in the murder of Kenya's minister of foreign Affairs, Dr. Robert Ouko, in February 1990. Hempstone did not defend the action. Hempstone died in 2006 in Suburban Hospital, Bethesda,
Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
, from complications of
diabetes Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level ( hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ...
.


Writings

*''Letters from Africa to the Institute of Current World Affairs, New York'' (1956) * ''Africa: Angry Young Giant'', Praeger, 1961 (published in England as ''The New Africa'', Faber, 1961). *''The New Africa'' (1961) * ''Katanga Report'', Faber, 1962 *
Rebels, Mercenaries and Dividends: The Katanga Story
', Praeger, 1962. * '' A Tract of Time'' (novel), Houghton, 1966. *''In the Midst of Lions'' (novel) (1968) --> *''India in Focus: Six Articles'' (1964) * ''In the Midst of Lions'' (novel), Harper, 1968. *''United States Foreign Policy and the China Problem'' by Morton A. Kaplan, Douglas MacArthur, Smith Hempstone (1982) *''Chosin Marine: An Autobiography'' by Bill Davis,
James H. Webb James Henry Webb Jr. (born February 9, 1946) is an American politician and author. He has served as a United States senator from Virginia, Secretary of the Navy, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs, Counsel for the United States ...
, Smith Hempstone (1986) *''Rogue Ambassador: An African Memoir'' (1997) * (Editor) STA, an ''Illustrated History of St. Albans School'', Glastonbury Press, 1981. *Contributor to '' Saturday Evening Post'', '' Atlantic Monthly'', ''
Reader's Digest ''Reader's Digest'' is an American general-interest family magazine, published ten times a year. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, it is now headquartered in midtown Manhattan. The magazine was founded in 1922 by DeWitt Wallace and his wif ...
'', '' U.S. News & World Report'', and other magazines.


Memberships

*
American Society of News Editors The American Society of News Editors (ASNE) was a membership organization for editors, producers or directors in charge of journalistic organizations or departments, deans or faculty at university journalism schools, and leaders and faculty of ...
*
Explorers Club The Explorers Club is an American-based international multidisciplinary professional society with the goal of promoting scientific exploration and field study. The club was founded in New York City in 1904, and has served as a meeting point fo ...


References


Sources

*


External links


''Washington Post'' obituary
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Hempstone, Smith 1929 births 2006 deaths 20th-century American novelists American columnists American newspaper editors Journalists from Washington, D.C. American male novelists Ambassadors of the United States to Kenya Chicago Daily News people The Washington Times people United States Marine Corps officers United States Marine Corps personnel of the Korean War George H. W. Bush administration personnel Culver Academies alumni Sewanee: The University of the South alumni George Washington University alumni Harvard University alumni Deaths from diabetes American male non-fiction writers 20th-century American male writers