Claiborne Pell Quotes

Claiborne de Borda Pell was born in New York City. He was an American politician and diplomat. He was a U.S. Senator from Rhode Island, serving six terms from 1961 to 1997. A member of the Democratic Party, he was Rhode Island's longest serving senator. He received an A.B. in history from Princeton University in 1940. In 1946 Pell received an M.A. in international relations from Columbia University. From 1945 to 1952, he served in the United States Department of State as a Foreign Service Officer in Czechoslovakia, Italy, and Washington, D.C. He was fluent in French, Italian, and Portuguese. He received more than 40 honorary degrees, including recognition from Johnson & Wales University, the University of Vermont and the University of Massachusetts. On October 14, 1994, Pell was presented with the Presidential Citizens Medal from President Bill Clinton. Pell was a Chevalier of the French Legion of Honor. He also received the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown of Italy. His awards for service in the Coast Guard during the Second World War included the American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal and the World War Two Victory Medal.