James A. Joseph is a Louisiana native who graduated from Southern University, Baton Rouge, and from Yale Divinity School. He is an ordained minister and is currently Professor of the Practice of Public Policy Studies and Leader-in-Residence at the Hart Leadership Program at Duke University. He is also responsible for launching the U.S. - Southern Africa Center for Leadership and Public Values. Joseph has worked for four U.S. presidents, beginning as Interior undersecretary for President Carter from 1977-1981. He has also served on the Advisory Committee to the Agency on International Development under President Reagan, and was appointed by President Bush to the Presidential Commission on Historically Black Colleges. In 1996, he was appointed as Ambassador to South Africa by President Clinton, where he served until 1999. He is also a former president and CEO of the Council on Foundations, 1982-1995. The addition (2009-0015) (3 lin. ft.; dated 1961-2004) includes correspondence, chronological files, calendars, clippings, memorabilia, notes, and administrative materials largely dating from Joseph's time as an undersecretary for the Department of the Interior and his ambassadorship to South Africa. Also included are some materials from his work for the Council on Foundations, largely dating from the late 1980s, and some awards and honors dating from the early 2000s. Some newspaper clippings dating from the 1960s discuss his Civil Rights work and ministerial activities. This material has not been processed and therefore no arrangement has been completed at this time. Acquired as part of the John Hope Franklin Research Center for African and African American History and Culture.
