David L. Stratmon

From a Small Town to the World: My Story David L. Stratmon

FROM A SMALL TOWN TO THE WORLD MY STORY By David L. Stratmon, Sr. Ph. D., J. D. World War II Veteran Diplomat US Foreign Service Information Officer FROM THE BOOK COVER On April 15, 1970 several thousand demonstrators stormed the American Embassy in Amman, Jordan. Then they marched across the city to set a fire that severely damaged the library and offices of the United States Information Service. David L. Stratmon was the director of the American Cultural Center located within that building. Dr. Stratmon had been attending a meeting at the American Embassy and he was informed of the disturbance as he emerged from the meeting. When he arrived at the Cultural Center, he approached the leader of the El Fatah and negotiated a deal to pass through their lines to enter the building and search for American personnel. Courageously, he checked all the rooms and exited the building to escape the bombing. His account of this incident and many other interesting episodes are revealed in these chapters. From his early years growing up in Southport, North Carolina, to his accomplishments and trials in Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, he has shown a remarkable ability to persevere and prevail. He has achieved as an outstanding student and he has triumphed as an eminent diplomat. He has weathered the storm of raising four adopted children and two step children. At the game of life, he has won hands down. His moving account is presented in flowing narrative and companion pictures. HUMBLE TO PROUD What sticks out in my mind more than anything else was the poverty of my early years. The fact that I was deserted by my mother at two years old was painful, and the resulting poverty was excruciating. Getting away from it was my primary motivation. Here is an account of how I began that lifelong process. Certainly, times for black folks were exceedingly hard everywhere in those days. Leaving her children behind must have been hard for my mother, Eloise, and it was especially hard for my