Warren Christopher

Warren Christopher
Born	Warren Minor Christopher 27 10, 1925
Birthplace	Scranton, North Dakota, U.S.
Died	Template:Death date and age Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Diplomat, attorney, statesman
Known for	63rd United States Secretary of State; Christopher Commission; Dayton Agreement negotiations
Education	Stanford Law School (LL.B.)
Awards	Theodore Roosevelt Rough Rider Award; Jefferson Award for Public Service

Warren Minor Christopher (October 27, 1925 – March 18, 2011) was an American diplomat, attorney, and statesman who served as the 63rd United States Secretary of State from 1993 to 1997 under President Bill Clinton. Across a career spanning more than five decades, Christopher occupied positions at the highest levels of American government and law, serving as Deputy Attorney General under President Lyndon B. Johnson and as Deputy Secretary of State under President Jimmy Carter. Born in the small town of Scranton, North Dakota, during the lean years before the Great Depression, Christopher rose through the legal profession to become a senior partner at the prestigious Los Angeles law firm O'Melveny & Myers, returning repeatedly to public service when called upon by Democratic administrations. As Secretary of State, he played a central role in the expansion of NATO, efforts to broker peace in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, and the negotiation of the Dayton Agreement, which ended the Bosnian War. In 1991, he chaired the Christopher Commission, which investigated the Los Angeles Police Department in the aftermath of the Rodney King beating. Upon his death in 2011, President Barack Obama described Christopher as a "resolute pursuer of peace."

Early Life

Warren Minor Christopher was born on October 27, 1925, in Scranton, North Dakota, a small community in Bowman County in the southwestern corner of the state. He grew up during the economic hardships of the 1930s in the rural Great Plains, an upbringing that shaped his characteristically understated and disciplined personal style. Christopher's early years in North Dakota instilled in him the values of hard work and quiet determination that colleagues and observers would later note as defining features of his diplomatic manner.

Details of Christopher's family life during his youth in North Dakota remain limited in the public record, but his trajectory from a small prairie town to the highest echelons of American government and law represented a remarkable arc of ambition and achievement. He left North Dakota to pursue higher education in California, a move that would anchor the rest of his professional and personal life on the West Coast.

Education

Christopher attended the University of Southern California, where he graduated magna cum laude in 1945. He subsequently enrolled at Stanford Law School, where he earned his law degree in 1949. His academic record at Stanford was distinguished enough to earn him a clerkship with U.S. Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas, one of the most coveted positions available to a young law graduate. The clerkship with Douglas, a noted liberal jurist and champion of civil liberties, exposed Christopher to the intersection of law and public policy at the highest level and appears to have reinforced his interest in public service. Following his clerkship, Christopher embarked on a legal career in Los Angeles that would become the foundation for his repeated forays into government.

Career

Early Legal Career and O'Melveny & Myers

After completing his clerkship with Justice Douglas, Christopher joined the Los Angeles law firm of O'Melveny & Myers, one of the oldest and most prominent law firms on the West Coast. He rose through the ranks to become a partner and eventually a senior partner, a position he held for the greater part of his career outside government. O'Melveny & Myers served as Christopher's professional home base across the decades, and he returned to the firm after each period of government service. At the time of his death, he remained a senior partner in the firm's Century City office.

Christopher's practice at O'Melveny & Myers encompassed complex corporate and international legal matters, and his stature within the firm and the broader legal community made him a natural candidate for appointment to high-level government positions. His reputation for meticulous preparation, discretion, and a calm demeanor under pressure became hallmarks recognized by colleagues in both legal and diplomatic circles.

Deputy Attorney General (1967–1969)

Christopher entered federal government service in 1967 when President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed him as the 9th United States Deputy Attorney General, the second-ranking official in the Department of Justice. He served in this capacity from March 10, 1967, to January 20, 1969, succeeding Ramsey Clark, who had been elevated to Attorney General.

As Deputy Attorney General during a tumultuous period in American history marked by the Vietnam War, urban unrest, and the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy, Christopher was involved in managing the federal government's responses to civil disturbances and law enforcement challenges. His tenure at the Justice Department provided him with critical experience in crisis management and interagency coordination that would serve him well in subsequent government roles.

Deputy Secretary of State (1977–1981)

Following the election of President Jimmy Carter in 1976, Christopher was appointed as the 5th United States Deputy Secretary of State, serving from February 26, 1977, to January 20, 1981. As the principal deputy to Secretary of State Cyrus Vance, and later Edmund Muskie, Christopher was deeply involved in some of the most consequential foreign policy challenges of the Carter administration.

One of the most significant episodes of Christopher's tenure as Deputy Secretary was his role in the negotiations to secure the release of the fifty-two American hostages held in Iran during the Iran hostage crisis. The crisis, which began in November 1979 and lasted 444 days, dominated the final year of the Carter presidency. Christopher served as the chief American negotiator in the complex diplomatic efforts that ultimately resulted in the release of the hostages on January 20, 1981, the day of President Ronald Reagan's inauguration. His patient and methodical approach to these negotiations, conducted through intermediaries and under enormous political pressure, became one of the defining achievements of his diplomatic career and established his reputation as a skilled and tenacious negotiator.

The Christopher Commission (1991)

In 1991, in the aftermath of the videotaped beating of Rodney King by officers of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), Christopher was appointed to chair what became known as the Christopher Commission. The independent commission was tasked with investigating the LAPD's use of excessive force, the department's management and disciplinary practices, and related issues of police conduct.

The Christopher Commission's report, issued in July 1991, was a landmark document in the history of American policing. It documented patterns of excessive force and racial bias within the LAPD and recommended sweeping reforms, including greater civilian oversight, improved training, and changes to the department's leadership structure. The commission's findings contributed to the eventual resignation of LAPD Chief Daryl Gates and helped set the stage for a period of significant reform within the department. Christopher's leadership of the commission demonstrated his capacity for handling politically sensitive investigations and reinforced his standing as a figure of integrity and impartiality in public life.

Secretary of State (1993–1997)

During the 1992 presidential election, Christopher headed Bill Clinton's search for a vice-presidential running mate, a process that resulted in the selection of Senator Al Gore of Tennessee. After Clinton won the general election, Christopher led the incoming administration's presidential transition process. Clinton subsequently nominated Christopher to serve as United States Secretary of State, and he took office on January 20, 1993, succeeding Lawrence Eagleburger.

NATO Expansion

One of the defining policy initiatives of Christopher's tenure as Secretary of State was the effort to expand the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to include former members of the Warsaw Pact and other Central and Eastern European nations. This policy, which Christopher championed as part of the Clinton administration's broader strategy for post-Cold War European security, represented a fundamental reshaping of the transatlantic alliance. The groundwork laid during Christopher's time in office ultimately led to the admission of Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic to NATO in 1999, after his departure.

Israeli–Palestinian Peace Efforts

Christopher devoted substantial diplomatic energy to efforts to broker peace between Israel and the Palestinians. He made numerous trips to the Middle East in pursuit of progress in the Israeli–Palestinian peace process, building on the momentum generated by the Oslo Accords of 1993. While a comprehensive peace agreement remained elusive, Christopher's sustained engagement reflected the Clinton administration's prioritization of the issue and his own determination to advance negotiations between the parties.

The Dayton Agreement and the Bosnian War

Perhaps the most consequential diplomatic achievement associated with Christopher's tenure was his role in helping to negotiate the Dayton Agreement in November 1995, which brought an end to the Bosnian War. The war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which had raged since 1992 and resulted in extensive civilian casualties and ethnic cleansing, represented one of the gravest security crises in post-Cold War Europe.

Christopher's involvement in Bosnian diplomacy evolved over the course of his time as Secretary of State. Early in his tenure, the administration's approach to the conflict drew criticism for what some observers described as insufficient engagement. However, following the escalation of the conflict and the Srebrenica massacre in July 1995, the United States took a more assertive diplomatic and military role, culminating in the NATO bombing campaign against Bosnian Serb forces and the convening of peace talks at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. The resulting Dayton Agreement, signed in December 1995, established the framework for peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina and remains the foundational document governing the country's political structure.

China and Human Rights

Christopher also sought to use American diplomatic influence to pressure China regarding its human rights practices. Early in the Clinton administration, Christopher advocated linking China's most-favored-nation trade status to improvements in its human rights record, a position that reflected the administration's initial emphasis on human rights in its China policy. This approach was later modified as the administration adopted a policy of engagement with China that separated trade and human rights considerations, a shift that reflected the complex realities of the U.S.-China relationship.

Military Actions

During Christopher's tenure, the United States undertook military action on several occasions. In June 1993, the United States launched a cruise missile strike against the headquarters of the Iraqi Intelligence Service in Baghdad in retaliation for an alleged Iraqi plot to assassinate former President George H. W. Bush during a visit to Kuwait.

Departure from Office

Christopher served as Secretary of State until January 17, 1997, and was succeeded by Madeleine Albright, who became the first woman to hold the position. His deputies during his tenure included Clifton R. Wharton Jr. and Strobe Talbott.

Post-Government Career

After leaving the State Department, Christopher returned to O'Melveny & Myers as a senior partner. He also joined the faculty of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) as a professor.

In the aftermath of the disputed 2000 presidential election, Christopher was called upon by Vice President Al Gore to oversee the Gore campaign's Florida recount effort. The contested recount in Florida ultimately determined the outcome of the election, which was resolved by the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Bush v. Gore.

Christopher continued to be active in public affairs and legal practice in the years following the 2000 election. He served as an honorary chair of the World Justice Project, an organization dedicated to advancing the rule of law worldwide.

O'Melveny & Myers established the Warren Christopher Scholarships in his honor, providing college scholarships to outstanding students in the Los Angeles Unified School District. By 2024, the program continued to award scholarships, with sixteen students each receiving $20,000 toward their college education.

Personal Life

Warren Christopher was married twice. His first marriage was to Joan Southgate Workman on June 14, 1949; they divorced in 1955. He subsequently married Marie Wyllis, and the couple remained together until his death.

Christopher had four children. Records indicate the births of Lynn Southgate Christopher (born 1952), Scott W. Christopher (born 1957), Thomas W. Christopher (born 1959), and Kristen I. Christopher (born 1963).

Christopher served as a United States Navy officer, though detailed information about his military service is limited in the available public record.

Warren Christopher died on March 18, 2011, in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 85. He was interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills. At the time of his death, he was still active as a senior partner at O'Melveny & Myers and as a professor at UCLA.

Recognition

Christopher received numerous awards and honors over the course of his career. He was a recipient of the Theodore Roosevelt Rough Rider Award, the highest honor bestowed by the state of North Dakota upon its native sons and daughters who have achieved national distinction.

He was also a recipient of the Jefferson Award for Public Service, which recognizes outstanding public service by individuals in the United States.

Upon Christopher's death, President Barack Obama issued a statement describing him as a "resolute pursuer of peace" and noting his decades of service to the United States. Obama highlighted Christopher's role in negotiating the release of American hostages from Iran and his work to end the Bosnian War as among his most important contributions.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also paid tribute to Christopher, with the State Department issuing a formal statement honoring his legacy of service.

Multiple news organizations published extensive retrospectives of Christopher's career following his death, noting his influence on American foreign policy across three decades and four presidential administrations.

Legacy

Warren Christopher's legacy rests on his sustained contributions to American diplomacy and law over a career that spanned more than half a century. His involvement in some of the most consequential diplomatic negotiations of the late twentieth century — the Iran hostage crisis, the Dayton Agreement, and the Israeli-Palestinian peace process — placed him at the center of American foreign policy during a period of profound global transformation.

Christopher's leadership of the Christopher Commission had a lasting impact on policing practices in Los Angeles and contributed to a broader national conversation about police accountability, use of force, and racial bias in law enforcement. The commission's recommendations influenced reform efforts that extended well beyond the LAPD.

His approach to diplomacy, characterized by patience, thoroughness, and a preference for quiet engagement over public confrontation, drew both admiration and criticism during his career. Supporters praised his effectiveness as a negotiator and his steady hand in managing complex international challenges. Critics occasionally characterized his style as overly cautious. Nevertheless, his record of achievement in government — serving in senior positions under three presidents — reflected the high regard in which he was held by leaders of both parties.

O'Melveny & Myers has perpetuated Christopher's legacy through the Warren Christopher Scholarships program, which supports outstanding students in the Los Angeles Unified School District. The program continues to provide substantial financial support for higher education, reflecting Christopher's own belief in the transformative power of educational opportunity.

Stanford Law School, Christopher's alma mater, published remembrances following his death that emphasized his impact as both a legal practitioner and a public servant, noting the breadth and distinction of a career that began with a clerkship at the Supreme Court and culminated in leadership of the nation's foreign policy apparatus.