Condoleezza Rice is a renowned American diplomat, scholar, and educator. She made history as the first African American woman to serve as both National Security Advisor and U.S. Secretary of State, shaping U.S. foreign policy during the early 21st century.
Born November 14, 1954, in Birmingham, Alabama, Rice was raised during the segregation era. Her childhood was marked by the realities of Jim Crow laws, and she personally knew one of the young victims of the 1963 16th Street Baptist Church bombing. In 1969, her family moved to Denver, Colorado, where her father became a professor and assistant vice chancellor at the University of Denver.
Rice entered college at age 15. She earned her B.A. in Political Science from the University of Denver, followed by a master’s from the University of Notre Dame and a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Denver by age 26. She initially studied music but shifted her focus to international politics under the influence of Professor Josef Korbel.
Rice joined the faculty at Stanford University, where she became a respected expert in Soviet and Eastern European affairs. In 1993, she was named Provost of Stanford, becoming the first woman, first African American, and youngest person to hold the position. She eliminated the university’s budget deficit in just two years.
Rice served in national security roles under Presidents George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush. From 2001 to 2005, she was National Security Advisor, playing a key role in shaping U.S. policy following the September 11 attacks. In 2005, she became Secretary of State, where she promoted democracy abroad and managed complex global relationships during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
After leaving the government in 2009, Rice returned to Stanford. As of 2025, she serves as Director of the Hoover Institution, a leading public policy think tank and teaches at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business. She is also a best-selling author and frequent public speaker on issues of global affairs, democracy, and civic education.
Beyond academia and policy, Rice is a strong advocate for education, diversity, and sports. She served on the College Football Playoff Selection Committee and remains one of the most influential African American women in U.S. history.
Although often mentioned as a potential candidate for high public office, Rice has declined to run. Instead, she continues to shape American thought through scholarship, leadership, and public service.
