I.

Introduction

Condoleezza Rice, born in 1954, American professor and government official who served as national security adviser during the first term of President George W. Bush (2001-2005) and secretary of state during his second term (2005- ). Rice became the first African American woman to hold the Cabinet position of secretary of state.

Rice was born in Birmingham, Alabama, and moved to Denver, Colorado, with her family when she was a teenager. She began attending the University of Denver at the age of 15, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in 1974. She then received a master’s degree in 1975 from the University of Notre Dame and a doctoral degree in 1981 from the Graduate School of International Studies at the University of Denver. In 1981 Rice became an assistant professor of political science at Stanford University.