Background
Murphy, Richard William was born on July 29, 1929 in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. Son of John Deneen Murphy and Jane (Diehl) Bonner.
Murphy, Richard William was born on July 29, 1929 in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. Son of John Deneen Murphy and Jane (Diehl) Bonner.
Graduate, Phillips Exeter Academy, 1947. AB, Harvard University, 1951. AB, Cambridge University, England, 1953.
Postgraduate Arabic studies, United States Foreign Service Institute, Beirut, 1960. Doctor of Laws (honorary), New England College, 1989. Doctor of Laws (honorary), Baltimore Hebrew University, 1992.
Vice consul United States Consulate General, Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia, 1955-1958. Consul Aleppo, Syria, 1960-1963. Political officer American Embassy, Jedda, Saudi Arabia, 1963-1966, Amman, Jordan, 1966-1968.
Personnel officer United States State Department, Washington, 1968-1969, director Office Arabian Peninsula Affairs, 1969-1971, assistant secretary state for Near Eastern and South Asian affairs, 1983-1989. United States ambassador to Mauritania, 1971-1974, to Syria, 1974-1978, to the Philippines, 1978-1981, to Saudi Arabia, 1981-1983. Ambassador, 1987; senior fellow for Middle East Council Foreign Relations, New York City, 1989—2004.
Consultant Richard Murphy Associates, since 1993. Chairman Foreign Students Service Council, Washington, 1989—1993, Middle East Institute, Washington, 1993—2001, Chatham House Foundation, 1993—2004. Member board advisors Naval War College, 1991—1994.
Director Music in North Carolina, since 2009. Adjunct scholar Middle East Institute, since 2008.
Trustee American University of Beirut, 1995-2007. Member visiting committee Harvard Middle East Center, 1999-2002, Near East Foundation, 2000-2003. Director Foundation Middle East Peace, since 2000.
Chairman Friends of United Nations Relief and Works Agency Association, 2005-2009, director, since 2009. Served with United States Army, 1953-1955. Member Council Foreign Relations, Foreign Service Association, Century Club.
Tennis, scuba diving.
Married Anne Herrick Cook, August 25, 1955. Children: Katherine Anne, Elizabeth Drew, Richard McGill.