“The first days of the post marked a period of close and unique kinship which will be remembered by all of those who were there.”

• Jesse MacKnight, Principal Officer, U.S. Embassy Lome, 1959

When the first American diplomats arrived in Togo in 1959, they began keeping a log book of their daily impressions. This fascinating document is now unclassified and available to the public. It provides a glimpse into the day-to-day life of the diplomats who worked at the Embassy during this tumultuous period. The entries in the book are sometimes mundane, sometimes profound. They capture routine business and history-making political decisions.

To read the full document, follow  First Days in Togo