Ralph Bunche and the Work of Peace
A cease-fire can stop shooting, but it does not automatically solve the disagreements that caused a war. Someone must help opposing sides decide where forces will stand, how agreements will be monitored, and what happens if fighting starts again. Ralph Bunche devoted much of his life to that difficult work.
Born on August 7, 1904, in Detroit, Michigan, Bunche became a scholar, diplomat, and leader at the United Nations (UN). In 1950, he received the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in negotiating agreements that brought a halt to fighting between Israel and several neighboring Arab countries. He was the first Black person to receive the prize. His achievement showed how careful negotiation could reduce immediate violence, even when a lasting peace remained out of reach.
From scholarship to diplomacy
Bunche grew up during a time of widespread racial discrimination in the United States. After his parents died, he moved to Los Angeles and was raised by his grandmother. He excelled in school and went on to study at the University of California, Los Angeles, and Harvard University. In 1934, he earned a doctorate in political science from Harvard.
- diplomat:
- A person who works on relations between countries.
- discrimination:
- Unfair treatment of people because of a characteristic such as race.
- administered:
- Managed or governed an area or system.
- partition:
- The division of a territory into separate parts.
- displacement:
- The forcing of people to leave their homes.
- assassinated:
- Murdered, often for political reasons.
- grievances:
- Complaints about treatment believed to be unfair.
- violations:
- Actions that break rules or agreements.
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1Why does the article begin by distinguishing a cease-fire from a solution to a conflict?
- 2How did Bunche's academic work help prepare him for diplomacy?
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About this explanatory article passage for Middle School
“Ralph Bunche and the Work of Peace” is a explanatory article reading passage about Ralph Bunche and peace negotiations, written for Middle School. It takes about 6 minutes to read (897 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.