After military service that included duty in occupied Japan, Terence Todman completed college and began a career in the foreign service. He encountered institutional racism in the State Department, but was driven to overcome it. By the time he was 43, he had earned widespread respect from colleagues and leadership alike. President Nixon named him Ambassador to Chad, making him one of the first African Americans to hold such a position. He eventually became an Ambassador to six foreign nations, retiring at the prestigious rank of Career Ambassador. He is credited with paving the way for other minorities who have made important contributions through their foreign service in the State Department.
