ADST Biweekly Newsletters: Where History Meets Diplomacy
Join our bi-weekly newsletter for powerful stories, expert insights, and educational resources on the past, present, and future of American diplomacy.
Stay connected to the stories that shape American diplomacy. Our bi-weekly newsletter brings you engaging insights from our oral histories, lectures, podcasts, books, and educational programs—highlighting the people and moments that define our diplomatic legacy. Join us as we continue our mission to educate the public about diplomacy and strengthen today’s practitioners through the power of history.
Previous Newsletters
January 11, 2026 – Hello from the Cottage and Happy New Year!: We dive again into the long, complicated history of U.S.–Venezuela relations through fresh oral history excerpts, including firsthand accounts of the 2019 aid push and the closure of the U.S. Embassy in Caracas. We also point readers to other newly released stories from the ADST archive that bring recent diplomatic history to life.
December 19, 2025 – Holidays in the Foreign Service: Diplomacy, Duty, and the Holidays Far from Home: We share first-hand stories of how Foreign Service people spend holidays far from home — from using Christmas gatherings to make unlikely diplomatic connections to lighting up the U.S. mission in Havana and visiting troops in Afghanistan — celebrations abroad are often meaningful, unusual, and deeply human.
December 5, 2025 – ADST Biweekly: History of US-Venezuelan Relations: We dive into the history of U.S.–Venezuela relations through a series of oral history highlights, ranging from early oil-era diplomacy to Cold War-era tensions and the fractured 2019 crisis that led to the U.S. Embassy’s withdrawal. We also share firsthand accounts that connect those past moments to how the relationship has evolved over decades.
November 27, 2025 – ADST Thanksgiving Special: Thanksgiving Abroad in the Foreign Service: We explore Thanksgiving overseas through a bunch of First Foreign Service stories, sharing memories of holiday meals, quirky celebrations, and meaningful community gatherings that diplomats and their families have had while serving abroad. We also share moments that show both the joy and personal sacrifices that come with celebrating this American tradition in far-flung posts around the world.
November 21, 2025 – ADST Biweekly: Dayton Peace Accords 30th Anniversary: We take a closer look at the 30th anniversary of the Dayton Peace Accords, sharing new oral histories and reflections on the U.S.-led negotiations that helped end the Bosnian War in 1995 and the long, ongoing process of peacebuilding that followed. We also share excerpts from firsthand accounts and resources that connect those diplomatic experiences to lessons for today’s foreign policy.
November 7, 2025 – ADST Biweekly: Bridging the Pacific: Japan and the United States: We dive into the long, evolving partnership between Japan and the United States, sharing oral history highlights that show how postwar reconstruction, cultural exchange, trade ties, and security cooperation have shaped one of America’s most important alliances. We also share firsthand stories and resources that bring this U.S.–Japan diplomatic history to life.
October 24, 2025 – ADST Biweekly: Poland’s Struggle: Soviet Era Insights: We examine the lived experience of Poland under Soviet domination through a series of oral history excerpts that show how Americans and Poles navigated everyday life, symbols of control, resistance, and the long struggle for identity. We also share firsthand moments of defiance, the rise of Solidarity, and how those decades-long pressures still shape perspectives on security and relations with Russia today.
October 10, 2025 – ADST Biweekly: Life after the Foreign Service: We explore what life looks like after Foreign Service and USAID careers, sharing highlights from oral histories where retirees find new purpose in everything from teaching and consulting to community building and second-act adventures. We also share inspiring examples of how diplomats keep contributing long after their official service ends.