 Louise Blemant Suggs Papers
Collection DescriptionBiographical NoteLouise Blemant Suggs, a participant in Georgia's efforts to engage the international community, was born June 20, 1918, in Quimper, Finistère, France. She graduated with a law degree from the University of Lille. During World War II, she served in de Gualle's government in exile in Algeria. In June 1946, she married Major Jack Suggs, who was serving with the U.S. Army in France. The Suggs soon after settled in Butler, Georgia, and had one daughter, Olivia. Suggs began her business career in 1967 working for Carling Dinkler, Jr., at Atlanta's Dinkler Plaza Hotel, first as international sales coordinator and public relations director and later rising to corporate officer and director of sales. In 1972, Suggs began a brief tenure with the Georgia Department of Industry and Trade as an international liaison responsible for promoting the establishment of new consulates and trade offices in Georgia. From 1973 to 1983, Suggs served as the director of the International Division of the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau (ACVB). In this capacity she promoted Atlanta, and Georgia, as an international center for business and tourism, attending conferences around the world and organizing trips for the ACVB board and state officials. Based on her track record with the ACVB, she was "loaned" to the City of Atlanta and served under Mayor Andrew Young (1983-1990) as Special Assistant for International Affairs and Chief of Protocol, coordinating the mayor's trips abroad and visits to Atlanta by foreign dignitaries. After Young left office, Suggs worked both as an international consultant for the Georgia Department of Industry, Trade and Tourism and as a protocol officer in the Georgia Governor's Office, serving both Governors Zell Miller and Roy Barnes. Apart from her professional career, Suggs helped launch the Atlanta Consular Corps and was made an honorary member in 1968. She served as Secretary of the Corps for over three decades. She also chaired the Atlanta-Brussels Sister City Committee and was on the board of the Belgian American Chamber of Commerce. Suggs died on January 27, 2007, at her home in Butler, Georgia. Source: "Louise Blemant Suggs" [obituary], The Telegraph, January 27, 2007. Scope and ContentThe Louise Blemant Suggs Papers document Suggs's involvement in international relations and protocols in the realms of Georgia government, industry and trade, tourism and the consular community, and include printed materials, correspondence, memoranda, organizational files, photographs, artifacts and audiovisual materials. Of particular note are her files maintained as Secretary of the Atlanta Consular Corps [currently restricted] and her position as Special Assistant for International Affairs and Chief of Protocol for Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young. Organization and ArrangementThe papers are arranged in nine series: I. Atlanta Consular Corps; II. Dinkler Plaza Hotel; III. Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau; IV. Office of the Mayor, City of Atlanta; V. Georgia Department of Industry, Trade and Tourism; VI. Personal; VII. Photographs; VIII. Artifacts; IX. Audiovisual Materials. Administrative InformationConditions Governing AccessThis collection is open for research with the following exception: Series I. Atlanta Consular Corps is closed pending review by representatives of the Atlanta Consular Corps. Preferred citationLouise Blemant Suggs Papers, Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies, University of Georgia Libraries, Athens, Georgia, 30602-1641. Copyright InformationBefore material from collections at the Richard B. Russell Library may be quoted in print, or otherwise reproduced, in whole or in part, in any publication, permission must be obtained from (1) the owner of the physical property, and (2) the holder of the copyright. It is the particular responsibility of the researcher to obtain both sets of permissions. Persons wishing to quote from materials in the Russell Library collection should consult the Director. Reproduction of any item must contain a complete citation to the original. Conditions Governing Use noteLibrary acts as "fair use" reproduction agent. Finding Aid PublicationFinding Aid prepared by Mat Darby, 2014. Related Materials and SubjectsSubject TermsRelated Collections in this Repository
Related Collections in Other RepositoriesAndrew J. Young Papers, Auburn Avenue Research Library, Atlanta, Georgia | ||||||||||||||||||||||