# Bisa Williams

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**Bisa Williams** (born 1954) is an American diplomat. She is the former [Ambassador](/source/Ambassador) from the [United States of America](/source/United_States_of_America) to the [Republic of Niger](/source/Republic_of_Niger) in [Niamey](/source/Niamey). She assumed the post on October 29, 2010. She left her post in September 13, 2013.

## Early life

Bisa Williams was born in Trenton, New Jersey and raised in [St. Louis, Missouri](/source/St._Louis,_Missouri) and [Lawrenceville, New Jersey](/source/Lawrenceville,_New_Jersey). Her father Dr. Paul T. Williams was a general surgeon while her mother Eloise Owens Williams was a social worker and later a professor of Social Work at the College of New Jersey. Her sister, [Ntozake Shange](/source/Ntozake_Shange), was a playwright best known for writing the Broadway play *[For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf](/source/For_Colored_Girls_Who_Have_Considered_Suicide_/_When_the_Rainbow_Is_Enuf)*. Her other sister, [Ifa Bayeza](/source/Ifa_Bayeza), is also a playwright, who co-wrote the multi-generational novel, *Some Sing, Some Cry*, with her sister Shange.[1] She received as [Bachelor of Arts](/source/Bachelor_of_Arts) degree from [Yale College](/source/Yale_College), where she graduated in 1976 *cum laude* with honors distinctions in Black Literature of the Americas.[2] She later received a [Master of Arts](/source/Master_of_Arts) degree in National Security Strategy from the [National War College](/source/National_War_College), and a second MA from the [University of California, Los Angeles](/source/University_of_California,_Los_Angeles) in [comparative literature](/source/Comparative_literature).[3][4]

## Career

Bisa Williams is a career foreign service officer, having joined the Foreign Service in 1984. Her previous overseas postings include [Port Louis](/source/Port_Louis), [Mauritius](/source/Mauritius); [Paris](/source/Paris), [France](/source/France) and [Panama City](/source/Panama_City), [Panama](/source/Panama).[4] Her first overseas assignment was in Port Louis, Mauritius, a mission that also covers [Seychelles](/source/Seychelles) and [Comoros](/source/Comoros), where she served as Deputy Chief of Mission under [Ambassador](/source/Ambassador) [John Price](/source/John_Price_(diplomat)).[5]

Prior to being assigned to Niamey, Bisa Williams, then U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, participated in a September 2009 six-day trip to [Cuba](/source/Cuba) in an attempt to improve [bilateral relations](/source/Cuba-United_States_relations). During the trip she met with Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister [Dagoberto Rodríguez Barrera](/source/Dagoberto_Rodr%C3%ADguez_Barrera), worked on restoring direct mail service between the two countries, and toured parts of western Cuba hit by [Hurricane Ike](/source/Hurricane_Ike).[6] She also invited [dissidents](/source/Cuban_dissident_movement) to a reception at the [United States Interests Section in Havana](/source/United_States_Interests_Section_in_Havana).[7][8]

Her nomination to be United States Ambassador to Niger was sent to the [United States Senate](/source/United_States_Senate) on November 30, 2009,[9] and she assumed the post in [Niamey](/source/Niamey) eleven months later, on October 29, 2010.[10] She left her post in 2013.

Williams is currently Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of African Affairs at the U.S. Department of State.[11]

## References

1. Williams, Bisa (2 February 2010). ["Statement of Bisa Williams, Ambassador-Designate to the Republic of Niger, Before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations"](https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:Et1hUTmZ6z0J:www.foreign.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/WilliamsTestimony100202a.pdf+&hl=en&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESg_KzzaZYSgHQ_F2YIyI9FvZnkO0pWjaGdKryM7eTpFfb1B59qT-gzSpSHWvdxUocZH22pOEjz19Ilr1C-P5RmJsimx_ewGZ8w9lg77V_8y2nKpxijSPNBoO5tiZerdDb-UIvJF&sig=AHIEtbTSsCVYpCLGMsXZwcUI3tgyMBKHEA). Retrieved 26 May 2012.

1. ["Mentoring Session with Bisa Williams '76, Dpty Asst Sec'y of State (A)"](https://archive.today/20130416061047/http://www.yaleclubdc.org/mc/community/eventdetailsPrint.do?print=true&eventId=277552). The Yale Club of Washington, D.C. 25 May 2010. Archived from [the original](http://www.yaleclubdc.org/mc/community/eventdetailsPrint.do?print=true&eventId=277552) on 16 April 2013. Retrieved 26 May 2012.

1. ["Engaging Cuba: Policy Options for the United States, Europe, and the Western Hemisphere"](https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:zcoGLXl1QEcJ:www.wilsoncenter.org/sites/default/files/Bios15.pdf+&hl=en&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESgZzN8ub-C58BKX_twqaO2zcSxkKS1MQ9raXu2_4h9mMBG1yqIGDEPiDT_eiXbAlWLqieJuoK-qOlgnjUpFAzW1BSRwAcAZnYj7oqNBp5ykYb92jjh4ebujxthhyItdRFN5uFBx&sig=AHIEtbQkcJD1RV8AzK3uHb2FBhYnC2ZFnQ). [Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars](/source/Woodrow_Wilson_International_Center_for_Scholars). 16 November 2009. p. 2. Retrieved 26 May 2012.

1. ["Ambassador Bisa Williams"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120509120731/http://niamey.usembassy.gov/ambassador2.html). [United States Department of State](/source/United_States_Department_of_State). Archived from [the original](http://niamey.usembassy.gov/ambassador2.html) on 9 May 2012. Retrieved 26 May 2012.

1. United States House Committee on Ways and Means (2003). *Report on Trade Mission to Sub-Saharan Africa*. DIANE Publishing. p. 11. ISBN 9781428950306.

1. Labott, Elise (29 September 2009). ["Senior U.S. official holds talks in Cuba"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120308070743/http://articles.cnn.com/2009-09-29/world/us.cuba.talks_1_bisa-williams-cuban-first-such-talks?_s=PM%3AWORLD). [CNN](/source/CNN). Archived from [the original](http://articles.cnn.com/2009-09-29/world/us.cuba.talks_1_bisa-williams-cuban-first-such-talks?_s=PM:WORLD) on 8 March 2012. Retrieved 26 May 2012.

1. ["Bisa Williams visita La Habana"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuMkWNzq5vE). [Univision](/source/Univision) via [YouTube](/source/YouTube). 1 October 2009. Retrieved 26 May 2012.

1. ["US and Cuba in high-level talks"](https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8281756.stm). [BBC News](/source/BBC_News). 30 September 2009. Retrieved 26 May 2012.

1. ["Presidential Nominations Sent to the Senate, 11/30/09"](https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/presidential-nominations-sent-senate-113009). *[whitehouse.gov](/source/Whitehouse.gov)*. 30 November 2009. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20170216173531/https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/presidential-nominations-sent-senate-113009) 2017-02-16 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 26 May 2012. – via [National Archives](/source/NARA)

1. ["BISA WILLIAMS (1954-)"](https://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/people/williams-bisa). [Office of the Historian](/source/Office_of_the_Historian)

1. ["Bisa Williams"](https://web.archive.org/web/20140113055221/https://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/bureau/218235.htm). US State Department. Archived from [the original](https://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/bureau/218235.htm) on 2014-01-13. Retrieved 2015-06-28.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Bisa Williams](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bisa_Williams) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bisa_Williams?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.