ODU's Myrick Appointed Goodwill Ambassador

Old Dominion University's Ambassador-in-Residence Bismarck Myrick was appointed Goodwill Ambassador for Goree Island, Senegal, by Mayor Augustin E. Senghor during official ceremonies in that city Friday, July 18.

Ambassador Myrick, a specialist in African affairs and a lecturer of history and political science at ODU, was in Senegal as part of a two-month return visit to Africa. Dr. Senghor had invited Ambassador Myrick to the mayor's office for discussions with members of the Goree City Council regarding ways to advance the Goree-Portsmouth, Virginia, Sister City relationship.

Goree Island (located in the West African country of Senegal) has become internationally known as a site where African slaves were held before transport across the Atlantic Ocean. Heads of state and celebrities frequently travel to the island, which is now a bustling site for tourism, the arts and trade activities, to highlight the injustice of the historical African slave trade.

In addition to meeting members of the Goree City Council and business community, Myrick toured the Slave Museum, the Women's Museum and traditional markets before departing Goree for Dakar, Senegal's capital city.

During his trip, Myrick also visited South Africa, where he previously headed US diplomatic missions. A career member of the Senior Foreign Service of the United States, Myrick served as ambassador to the Republic of Liberia from 1999-2002, ambassador to the Kingdom of Lesotho from 1995-1998, and principal officer in both Cape Town and Durban, South Africa, from 1990-1995.