United States Legation (Morocco)

Morocco, Tangier (Tanger) l. Maxwell Blake, diplomatic agent and consul general

(2) Maxwell Blake served as Charge d'Affaires ad interim, Sept. 1912 - July 1917. On 9 Aug. 1917, Blake informed the Resident General of France in Morocco that from 1 July 1917 the American Legation at Tangier had been converted into an Agency and Consulate General. The status of the mission was changed in 1925 to Diplomatic Agency and Consulate General and in 1933 to Legation again.

<p>Organization Name: Department of State. U.S. Legation, Morocco. 1933-6/11/1956</p>
<p>Variant Name(s): American Legation Tangier.</p>
<p>The first U.S. envoy to Morocco presented his credentials on September 29, 1906. On July 1, 1917, the U.S. Legation at Tangier was downgraded to an Agency and Consulate General, and in 1925 the U.S. mission was designated a Diplomatic Agency and Consulate General. The Legation was reinstated in 1933. The U.S. Embassy at Rabat was established on June 11, 1956, and on that same date the Legation at Tangier was redesignated as a Consulate General.</p>

<p>Establishment of Diplomatic Relations and the American Legation at Tangier, 1905.</p>
<p>Diplomatic relations were established on March 8, 1905, when the American consulate at Tangier was elevated to the status of a legation, and Samuel Gummere was named American Minister Plenipotentiary, with a letter of credence dated March 21. Gummere presented his credentials on September 29, 1906.</p>

<p>Morocco under French and Spanish Control, 1912-1956.</p>
<p>The United States did not initially recognize the French and Spanish protectorate over Morocco which was formally established in 1912. However, upon U.S. entry into the First World War, the U.S. Government issued a statement recognizing the protectorate over Morocco on October 20, 1917, whereupon the U.S. Minister at Tangier was downgraded to the status of Diplomatic Agent.</p>

<p>Diplomatic Relations Reestablished and Establishment of American Embassy, 1956.</p>
<p>After the recognition of Moroccan independence, the post of diplomatic agent was again raised, this time to the level of ambassador, and the U.S. embassy was established at the capital of Rabat on Jun 11, 1956, with William J. Porter as Chargé d’Affaires ad interim; upon its establishment Legation Tangier was changed in status to a Consulate General. On October 6, 1956, Cavendish Cannon presented his credentials as the first U.S. ambassador to Morocco. On September 5, 1956, Dr. El Mehdi Mohammed Ben Aboud of Morocco presented his credentials to U.S. president Dwight D. Eisenhower.</p>