Mercer Cook

Will Mercer Cook
3rd United States Ambassador to Senegal
In office
July 9, 1964 – July 1, 1966
PresidentLyndon B. Johnson
Preceded byPhilip Mayer Kaiser
Succeeded byWilliam R. Rivkin
1st United States Ambassador to The Gambia
In office
May 18, 1965 – July 1, 1966
PresidentLyndon B. Johnson
Preceded byoffice established
Succeeded byWilliam R. Rivkin
2nd United States Ambassador to Niger
In office
June 22, 1961 – May 30, 1964
PresidentJohn F. Kennedy
Lyndon B. Johnson
Preceded byR. Borden Reams
Succeeded byRobert J. Ryan
Personal details
BornMarch 30, 1903
Washington, D.C.
DiedOctober 4, 1987
Washington, D.C.
Nationality United States
SpouseVashti Smith (August 31, 1929 - 1969, her death)
ChildrenMercer
Jacques
Alma materAmherst College, BA, 1925; University of Paris, teacher's diploma, 1926; Brown University, MA, 1931, PhD, 1936
ProfessionDiplomat

Will Mercer Cook (March 30, 1903 – October 4, 1987), popularly known as Mercer Cook, was an American diplomat and professor. He was the first United States ambassador to the Gambia after it became independent, appointed in 1965 while also still serving as ambassador to Senegal.[1] He was also the second American ambassador to Niger.[2][3]

  1. ^ "The Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training Foreign Affairs Oral History Project Ralph J. Bunch Legacy: Minority Officers AMBASSADOR MERCER COOK" (PDF). Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training. 24 June 1981. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 June 2024. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  2. ^ "Office of the Historian - Department History - People - cook-mercer". History.state.gov. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
  3. ^ "Mercer Cook's Biography".