Michael H. Newlin

Michael H. Newlin
Newlin with Ronald Reagan in 1981
3rd United States Ambassador to the United Nations International Organizations in Vienna
In office
August 12, 1988 – September 6, 1991
PresidentRonald Reagan
George H. W. Bush
Preceded byBruce Chapman
Succeeded byJohn B. Ritch III
United States Ambassador to Algeria
In office
October 28, 1981 – July 21, 1985
PresidentRonald Reagan
Preceded byUlric Haynes
Succeeded byL. Craig Johnstone
Personal details
Born
Michael Holt Newlin

(1926-05-16)May 16, 1926
Greensboro, North Carolina, U.S.
DiedAugust 9, 2021(2021-08-09) (aged 95)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
EducationHarvard University (B.A., M.B.A.)
OccupationDiplomat

Michael Holt Newlin (May 16, 1926 – August 9, 2021)[1][2] was an American diplomat who served as the United States Ambassador to Algeria. A career Foreign Service officer, he was nominated by Ronald Reagan in August 1981,[3] and served from October 28, 1981, until July 21, 1985. He was also the Representative of the U.S.A. to the Vienna Office of the United Nations from August 12, 1988, until September 6, 1991.[4]

Early life[edit]

Born in Greensboro, he lived there until the age of ten or eleven when the family moved to Sanford, North Carolina. He attended Harvard University, living in Leverett House, majoring in government with a “second in economics.”[1] While attending Harvard he wanted to go see operas but did not have enough money to do so, becoming extras in operas to see them while making some money to pay for tuition. He graduated in 1949 and went on to graduate from the Harvard Business School (M.B.A., 1951).[3]

Career[edit]

Newlin was a civilian expert with the Department of the Air Force in 1951-52, leaving to enter the Foreign Service. He was an economic and consular officer in Frankfurt and political officer in Oslo in 1954-58. Within a week of arriving in Norway he went skiing (for the first time) with his wife Milena and broke his leg. Later positions included foreign affairs officer in the Office of United Nations Political Affairs (1958–63), deputy chief of the political section in Paris/USNATO (1963–67) and in Brussels/USNATO (1967–68), counselor for political affairs at the United States Mission to the United Nations in New York in 1968-72. Deputy Chief of Mission in Kinshasa (1972–75) and principal officer in Jerusalem in 1975-80. In 1980-81 he was Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs.[3]

After his term as United States Ambassador to Algeria, Newlin served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs, where, before the Senate and opposed by Kurt Vonnegut, he defended provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 involving good moral character, including denial of visas to aliens prejudicial to the public interest.[5]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Kennedy, Charles Stuart. "Interview with Ambassador Michael Newlin" (PDF). Library of Congress. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  2. ^ "In Memoriam". State Magazine. November 2021. Retrieved September 3, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c "Nomination of Michael H. Newlin To Be United States Ambassador to Algeria". Ronald Reagan National Library and Museum. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  4. ^ "Michael H. Newlin (1926–)". Office of the Historian. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  5. ^ Pear, Robert (August 12, 1986). "U.s. May Back Some Changes in Aliens Law". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by United States Ambassador to Algeria
1981–1985
Succeeded by
Preceded by United States Ambassador to the United Nations International Organizations in Vienna
1988-1991
Next:
John B. Ritch III