Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, March 27, 1995 TAG: 9503270073
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: Medium
Bismarck Myrick, 54, was sworn in Friday at the State Department as the U.S. ambassador to Lesotho, a mountain kingdom within South Africa. President Clinton nominated him for the post late last year.
Myrick, a member of the Senior Foreign Service, was a mediator in South Africa as the country dismantled apartheid. He was a facilitator when former Gov. Douglas Wilder went to South Africa in search of trade opportunities for Virginia businesses.
Those who grew up with Myrick on the tough streets of inner-city Portsmouth say they knew he had the drive to succeed.
``His goals were set,'' recalled E.G. ``Tip'' Corprew Jr., a Portsmouth funeral director and fellow member of the I.C. Norcom High School class of 1959. ``He wasn't boisterous. He was just quiet, unassuming and likable.''
Frances Paige, a retired teacher, remembers Myrick vividly from her English class at Norcom. ``He is etched in my mind because of his demeanor. He was a role model. He was the epitome of perseverance and commitment.''
When Myrick finished high school, there was no money for college. So he joined the Army and began taking night courses. In his 20-year Army career, he was awarded the Silver Star, Purple Heart and four Bronze Stars.
He also worked as a foreign area officer for the Army, specializing in African affairs, which helped him get a State Department job after he left the military in 1980.
In an interview with The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star, Myrick downplayed his humble beginnings.
True, he said, he did grow up in impoverished circumstances with a single mother. ``But in spite of that, it was a wholesome and a good learning environment,'' he said. ``I was active in Boy Scouts and a member of my church. I sang in the junior choir. I got inspiration from people in the community.''
Lesotho is a poor country. As much as half of its working population is employed in the mines, factories, farms and households of South Africa, which surrounds the small kingdom.
A military regime that seized power there in 1986 gave way to a democratic government in 1993. In his new role, Myrick said, he hopes to help the people of Lesotho strengthen their economy.
``I hope we can interest U.S. businesses in exploring investment opportunities there,'' he said.
by CNB