Ambassador Frank V. Ortiz Photographs

Collection

Identifier: PAAC-0024

Staff Only

Scope and Content

The collection consists of Ambassador Ortiz’s personal photographs and photographs from his years with the foreign service, including family photos, diplomatic travel and events, publicity photos for political events, embassy interiors, and images of people he met and worked with.

Dates

1930s - 2005

Creator

Ortiz, Frank V., 1926-2005 (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open to researchers on an appointment basis. Contact the Photo Archivist to request to view original material.

Conditions Governing Use

User responsible for all copyright compliance. Permission to publish must be obtained from Photo Archives. Form to request permission available at: https://www.nmhistorymuseum.org/collections/photo-archives/order-photos

Biographical Information

Ambassador Frank Vincent Ortiz Jr. was born in Santa Fe, New Mexico on March 14, 1926. His mother, who returned to Santa Fe from Mexico for the birth, remembers him from an early age wanting to be a diplomat. He did in fact become a diplomat having a remarkable career in the Foreign Service Office spanning almost 40 years, six presidents and several continents, mainly Latin America. Born into a family active in public affairs he joined the U.S. Army Air Force and was shot down off Japan in July 1945. After World War II he attended Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, graduating in 1951. He received his master’s degree from George Washington University in 1967 and attended graduate school at American University in Beirut and the University of Madrid. He began his diplomatic career as an economic officer in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in 1953 followed by an appointment to Mexico City in 1956. He served in Argentina, Peru, Panama, Guatemala, Barbados, and Uruguay. Over the course of his 40 year career he was posted in Washington, D.C. several times in various capacities. Ortiz retired from the Foreign Service in 1990 and focused his energies on enhancing cultural and educational opportunities in Santa Fe. He served on many local boards and served as diplomat-in-residence at the University of New Mexico where he received an honorary Doctorate. He worked with the State Department on a reorganization project, and served on boards for the Museum of New Mexico Foundation and the Friends of the Palace of the Governors where he helped raise over $30 million for the New Mexico History Museum. He died on February 27, 2005 in Santa Fe leaving his wife Dolores and four children.

Extent

1 linear foot

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Online Collections Available

Select images from the Frank V. Ortiz Collection are available on New Mexico Digital Collections.

Related Material

Biography, Ambassador Ortiz: Lessons from a Life of Service, University of New Mexico Press 2005

Separated Material

These photographs are a subset of the document and manuscript collection in the Fray Angelico Chavez History Library: Frank V. Ortiz Collection (AC 362)