Madeleine Albright was known for wearings pins as a diplomatic tool, with the first female secretary of state once recalling an instance where her trademark pin offended Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Albright, who died from cancer at the age of 84 on 23 March, was the first female appointed to the US secretary of state in 1997. She served in the position until 2001, during which she was a pivotal figure in President Bill Clinton’s administration.
During her career, she also pushed for the expansion of The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), to bring new nations into alliance with the US, and prior to her time in office, she served as the 20th US ambassador for the United Nations.
Throughout her career, Albright’s wore a wide range of broaches, which she noted on numerous occasions all had different meanings. But, according to Albright, using the accessories as a form of diplomatic symbolism wasn’t a popular concept.
“The idea of using pins as a diplomatic tool is not found in any State Department manual or in any text chronicling American foreign policy,” she wrote in her 2009 book, Read My Pins, according to NPR.
Albright also revealed that there was one instance where she was concerned that she’d made a mistake with her accessory choice.
While speaking to InStyle last October, Albright recalled how she’d worn three monkey pins that depicted the “Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil, See No Evil” gesture in Moscow for the 2000 summit conference. When Putin ultimately asked the meaning behind the pins, she said they were in criticism of his policy in Chechnya.
“When we were walking in, President [Vladimir] Putin said to President Clinton: ‘We always notice what pins Secretary Albright wears,’” Albright recalled. “And then he turned to me and asked: ‘So why are you wearing the monkeys?’ At which point I said: ‘Because I think your policy in Chechnya is evil.’”
According to Albright, neither President Clinton nor Putin were happy about her comment.
“He was furious, for good reason,” she continued. “And President Clinton looked at me and said: ‘Are you out of your mind? You’re America’s chief diplomat, and you just screwed up the whole summit.’”
Albright also reflected on the moment while speaking to Smithsonian magazine in 2010, during which she noted: “He was not amused. I probably went too far.”
However, she also told the outlet that she hopes her pin collection serves as a statement about her “good sense of humour,” adding: “Most of the pins are costume jewellery and are supposed to be reflective of whatever issue we’re dealing with or what I’m feeling like on a given day or where I’m going. But mostly it’s fun. It’s just a good way to get started.”
Albright collected more than 200 pins, which went on display at 22 museums from 2009 to 2018. Currently, a virtual exhibit of her collection is available online. Her pins will later be featured in a gallery at the National Museum of American Diplomacy, scheduled to open in 2024.
