Alvin Ailey and Carmen de Lavallade as Cultural Ambassadors
During the Cold War, racism in the U.S. created a daunting foreign relations problem. The Soviet Union exploited racial injustice to expand its anti-American propaganda. A government report noted, “We cannot escape the fact that our civil rights record has been an issue in world politics.” In response, the State Department sent African American artists abroad. In 1962, Alvin Ailey and Carmen de Lavallade embarked on a tour of Australia, Burma, Vietnam, Malaya, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Formosa (Taiwan), Japan, and Korea.
During the Cold War, racism in the U.S. created a daunting foreign relations problem. The Soviet Union exploited racial injustice to expand its anti-American propaganda. A government report noted, “We cannot escape the fact that our civil rights record has been an issue in world politics.” In response, the State Department sent African American artists abroad. In 1962, Alvin Ailey and Carmen de Lavallade embarked on a tour of Australia, Burma, Vietnam, Malaya, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Formosa (Taiwan), Japan, and Korea.