Dr. Ralph Bunche was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work as a United Nations mediator in Palestine during the 1948 conflict between Arabs and Jews. He was the first African American to receive the prize. Dr. Bunche (1904-1971) said mediators "should be biased against suspicion, intolerance, hate, religious and racial bigotry."

Dr. Bunche came to Seattle in July 1949 to speak at the first annual Institute of International Affairs at the University of Washington and other venues. On the evening of July 7, Bunche was presented with a citation at a dinner meeting at the Chamber of Commerce. This photo shows Bunche at the Chamber of Commerce event.

Caption information source: “Dr. Ralph Bunche will be Institute Speaker,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer, June 29, 1949, p. 36.

Written on negative sleeve: Dr. Bunche July 8/49