Bird, Eugene

Biography of Eugene Bird

Eugene Bird (1925-2019) worked for the U.S. State Department for nearly twenty-five years. Born in Spokane, Washington, Bird enlisted in the Navy at age 18 in 1943. After serving in the Navy for two years following World War II, Bird studied journalism at the University of Oregon in Eugene. His first positions were with the United Press and a small local newspaper. Eugene Bird's wife, Jerine "Jerri" Bird (1926-2012), traveled with her husband on his Foreign Service assignments. She was born in Portland but primarily grew up in Eugene, Oregon.

Eugene and Jerine Bird were married in 1948, a few months after Jerine graduated from the University of Oregon. They traveled to Stockholm in the fall of 1950 so both could attend the University of Sweden. Upon their return from Stockholm, Eugene enrolled in graduate school in the United States, specializing in the economic history of Europe.

In 1952, Eugene Bird became an intern in the U.S. State Department, where he first worked in the public affairs and personnel offices. He was transferred to the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs in 1953. Bird entered the Foreign Service in 1955 and was assigned to the political desk covering Israel and Jordan.

Eugene Bird received his first international position in May 1956, serving as a vice-consul in the American Consulate General in Jerusalem. Though Jerine and their children left at the outbreak of the Suez Crisis, Eugene remained in Jerusalem until June 1958. From 1958-1961, Eugene Bird was assigned to the Foreign Service Institute, and spent much of his time there studying Arabic. His language studies continued with his next assignment in Beirut, Lebanon, where he studied at the Lebanese University.

From 1962-1965, Eugene Bird was assigned to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, serving as the economic officer for the Consulate General. In 1965, he was transferred to Cairo, Egypt, where he continued to work in economics as the commercial attaché. He and his family were evacuated from Cairo at the outbreak of the Six-Day War in 1967.

Eugene and Jerine Bird spent the remainder of 1967-1972 in India. Eugene was first the economic officer in Bombay, and later served as the commercial attaché in New Delhi. They returned to Saudi Arabia in 1972, where Eugene was the political and economic counselor in Jeddah until his retirement in 1975.

Eugene Bird was president of the Council for the National Interest (CNI) for 17 years after his retirement from the Foreign Service. The Council for the National Interest, along with its associated organization, the Council for the National Interest Foundation (CNIF), provides information and analysis on the Middle East and its relationship to the United States while promoting U.S. foreign policies that protect national interests.

Bird, Jerine

Biography of Jerrine "Jerri" Bird

Jerine "Jerri" Bird (1926-2012) was born in Portland but primarily grew up in Eugene, Oregon. A few months after graduating from the University of Oregon in 1948, she married Eugene Bird (1925-).

From 1956 to 1975, Jerine Bird traveled with her husband and their children on his Foreign Service assignments in Jerusalem, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and India.

In 1989, Jerine Bird founded the nonprofit organization Partners for Peace. The group promoted the settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and advocated for human rights in both Israel and Palestine. Partners for Peace was known for its U.S. speaking tours featuring Israeli and Palestinian women. The organization disbanded in 2011.

Jerine Bird was also an administrator at Harvard University's Center for Hellenic Studies in Washington, D.C. from 1989-1996. She authored a book chapter, titled "Revolution for Children in Saudi Arabia," that was published in Children in the Muslim Middle East (University of Texas Press, 1995). Beginning in the 1980s, she researched and wrote drafts of a book about Saudi Arabian women.

Jerine Bird died in Washington, D.C. at age 86. She and Eugene had four children, Christina, Kai, Nancy, and Shelly.