August 9, 2006

Clifton Breckinridge came from a family of political leaders that included his father, vice president under President James Buchanan. After serving in the U.S. House of Representatives for a number of years, he became the first Arkansan to be appointed to a European diplomatic post, as minister to Russia. He held that post from 1894 to 1897. After his dismissal, he was appointed by President William McKinley to the Dawes Commission, which was designed to carry out the “Americanization” of Native Americans.