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The Voice of the Foreign Service:
A History of the American Foreign Service Association, Second Edition

AVAILABLE MAY 1 IN TIME FOR THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONS!

The U.S. Foreign Service and the American Foreign Service Association were born together in 1924. In this second edition, released in time for the Foreign Service and association’s dual centennials, author and former diplomat Harry Kopp chronicles the evolution of the Foreign Service and the events that shaped AFSA into what it is today—the professional association and labor union of the United States Foreign Service.

Published by the book division of AFSA, Foreign Service Books, The Voice of the Foreign Service takes readers through the early history of diplomacy, from Benjamin Franklin to the Rogers Act of 1924 and the Foreign Service Acts of 1946 and 1980, following the evolution of the Foreign Service and the association through the 20th century and into the 21st.

Advance Praise for the Second Edition

“Marking the centennial of AFSA and the Foreign Service, The Voice of the Foreign Service is a must read for those who want to learn more about both. It’s a comprehensive look back providing answers and insights into AFSA’s important role as both a professional society and a union in defending and advancing the Foreign Service. It turns bureaucratic battles and legislative maneuvers into chapters that entertain and enlighten. It’s a smooth read from beginning to end.”

—Ambassador Marie “Masha” Yovanovitch, author of Lessons from the Edge: A Memoir

“Anyone concerned with reform of the State Department or American diplomacy needs to read this history of AFSA. It is an important and well-written story of the struggle required to bring about the reforms of the past, on which new reforms must be based. Perhaps more significantly, one can gain confidence from remembering how often victories were preceded by defeats over many years. The struggle to improve the quality, professionalism, and effectiveness of American diplomacy remains ongoing. It will be waged better nested in an understanding of the past.”

—Ambassador Ronald E. Neumann, president of the American Academy of Diplomacy

“In this captivating narrative, Harry W. Kopp takes his readers through the history of AFSA’s development from a professional organization to a union, all the while telling the complex story of how AFSA became influential in its struggle to promote professional excellence in the Service while fighting for member benefits. This book makes clear the inestimable importance of AFSA and the reason it is imperative to support the organization’s efforts on behalf of the U.S. Foreign Service.”

—Ambassador Ruth A. Davis, former Director General of the Foreign Service

“With the second edition of The Voice of the Foreign Service, Harry Kopp educates us all about the valuable work the American Foreign Service Association has done in the past century. Never was this more evident than in the 2017–2021 period, when AFSA courageously and ably succeeded in preserving our budgets and zealously defended our diplomats. By highlighting these efforts, Kopp reminds us that we must remain vigilant and united to defend our American diplomats and the Foreign Service.”

—Ambassador Lino Gutiérrez, former executive director of the Una Chapman Cox Foundation

Further Recommended Reading/Resources

• The Foreign Service Journal, the magazine for foreign affairs professionals, published by the American Foreign Service Association.
• Read about our best-selling book, Inside a U.S. Embassy: Diplomacy at Work, the essential guide to the Foreign Service, also published by FS Books.
• For more book suggestions, visit our Foreign Service Reading List page.
• Learn about the National Museum of American Diplomacy at the Department of State.
• Discover Diplomacy, the Diplomacy Museum's educational portal.
• Learn how to join the Foreign Service at careers.state.gov.