For International Women’s Day on Saturday, March 8, one Oklahoman stands above all: Dr. Jeane Kirkpatrick, of Duncan, the daughter of an oilfield wildcatter. She was the first female U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations, appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1981.
Ambassador Kirkpatrick was a master at shock and awe public diplomacy and her authority oozed in media interviews with succinct sound bytes. She is most remembered for calling out the Soviet Union on the world stage for intentionally shooting down a Korean passenger plane in 1983. President Reagan awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Dr. Kirkpatrick in 1985.