Former Assistant Secretary of State
1967
Bio:
Background information is taken from "Adolph Berle: Power without Property" by Carlos Pardo located on the World Wide Web. "Adolph Berle was born in Boston, Massachusetts on January 29, 1895. He graduated from Harvard with honors in history when he was 18, received an M.A. The next year, and at 21 became the youngest graduate in the history of Harvard Law School. Soon after he embarked on a highly successful career as a corporate lawyer in New York and, beginning in 1927, also taught corporate law at Columbia Law School." "Berle entered public affairs in 1933 as an economic expert in Franklin D. Roosevelt's original 'brain trust.' From 1934 to 1937 he worked simultaneously as a planner for the federal government and the city of New York. He prepared the Securities and Exchange Act and work in the reorganization of New York City's Government under Fiorello La Guardia. As U.S. assistant secretary of state for Latin American affairs from 1938 to 1944 he implemented the 'good neighbor' policy and promoted postwar agreements for collective security. In 1945-1946 he served as ambassador to Brazil. Berle was also President Kennedy's special advisor on Latin America." Commencement, University of Detroit, April 29, 1967.