Cordell Hull

Cordell Hull (October 2, 1871 – July 23, 1955) was an American politician and diplomat who served as the United States secretary of state for nearly twelve years under President Franklin D. Roosevelt, from 1933 to 1944. A member of the Democratic Party, he is the longest-serving secretary of state in United States history. Hull previously represented Tennessee in both houses of the United States Congress for 24 years, first as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1907 to 1921 and again from 1923 to 1931, and as a U.S. senator from 1931 to 1933. Hull also served as a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives from 1893 to 1897.

Born in a log cabin in what is now Pickett County, Tennessee, Hull's early career included service as a lawyer, military officer in the Spanish–American War, state legislator, and judge before his election to the House of Representatives in 1906. He served in Congress for over two decades, interrupted only briefly by a term as chairman of the Democratic National Committee. In 1933, Roosevelt appointed Hull as Secretary of State, a position in which he became a principal architect of the Good Neighbor policy toward Latin America and a key figure in shaping U.S. foreign policy during the lead-up to and early years of World War II.

Hull's legacy is most closely associated with his efforts to promote international cooperation through trade and diplomacy. He was instrumental in the passage of the Reciprocal Trade Agreements Act of 1934, which reduced U.S. tariffs and paved the way for more open global markets. He was also a driving force in the creation of the United Nations, earning him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1945 for his “pivotal role” in the organization's founding.