Ralph Bunche
1904 – 1971

Ralph Bunche

diplomat, educator, civil rights activist and the first African American Nobel Peace Prize winner (1904–1971)

political scientistdiplomat
Born
1904-08-07, Detroit
Died
1971-12-09
Birthplace state
Michigan

Biography

Ralph Johnson Bunche was an American political scientist and diplomat who received the 1950 Nobel Peace Prize for his late 1940s mediation in the Arab–Israeli conflict. He is the first black Nobel laureate and the first person of African descent to be awarded a Nobel Prize. He was involved in the formation and early administration of the United Nations (UN), serving as the under‑secretary‑general and briefly the acting secretary-general in 1953, and played a major role in both the decolonization process and numerous UN peacekeeping operations.

Occupation

Ralph Bunche is recorded as a political scientist and a diplomat, born in Michigan (1904–1971).

Connections to Michigan

Ralph Bunche was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1904. Explore other notable figures from Michigan, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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More notable figures from Michigan

Other historical figures born in Michigan, ranked by historical prominence.

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Burt Reynolds
Burt Reynolds
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Claude Shannon
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Richard Kiel
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Frequently asked about Ralph Bunche

Who was Ralph Bunche?
Ralph Bunche was diplomat, educator, civil rights activist and the first African American Nobel Peace Prize winner (1904–1971), born in Michigan (1904 – 1971).
When and where was Ralph Bunche born?
Ralph Bunche was born on 1904-08-07 in Detroit.
When did Ralph Bunche die?
Ralph died on 1971-12-09.
What was Ralph Bunche known for?
Ralph Bunche is recorded as a political scientist and a diplomat.
Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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