Brunauer, Esther C. (1901–1959)

American government official. Name variations: Esther Caukin or Esther Delia Caukin; Esther Delia Caukin Brunauer. Born Esther Delia Caukin, July 7, 1901, near Jackson, California; died June 26, 1959, in Evanston, Illinois; dau. of Ray Oakheart Caukin (electrician) and Grace Elizabeth (Blackwell) Caukin; Mills College, BA, 1924; Stanford University, PhD in history, 1927; m. Stephen Brunauer (commander in US Navy), July 8, 1931; children: Louis (1934–1934), Kathryn (b. 1938) and Elizabeth (b. 1942).

International affairs expert who was highly regarded for work with UNESCO, led international education program for American Association of University Women (c. 1927–44); received Carl Schurz fellowship and studied effects of Nazism in Berlin (1933); among other works, wrote Germany, the Nationalist Socialist State (1934) and "Facing the Nazi Menace," in Vital Issues (June 1941); cofounded the Committee to Defend America by Aiding the Allies and served as chair of committee which created the Women's Action Committee for Victory and Lasting Peace (1943–44); joined US Department of State as specialist in international organizational affairs (1944); appointed US representative on Preparatory Committee to United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), becoming 3rd woman in US to hold diplomatic rank of minister (1946); accused of being a communist by Senator Joseph McCarthy (1950); though cleared by State Department's Loyalty Board and by Senate subcommittee, was suspended (1951) and dismissed (1952) by State Department (was generally believed to be innocent of the charge); worked for Library of Congress, as associate director of Film Council of America and as editor for publishing companies (1950–59).