>>> THIS IS AN NBC NEWS SPECIAL
REPORT.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
WE ARE COMING ON THE AIR WITH
BREAKING NEWS.
NBC NEWS CAN CONFIRM THE DEATH
OF FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE,
MADELINE ALBRECHT.
MY COLLEAGUE, ANDREA MITCHELL,
JOINS ME HERE IN BRUSSELS WITH
MORE ON HER LIFE AND LEGACY.
>> IT'S EXTRAORDINARY.
THE FIRST WOMAN TO SERVE AS U.S.
SECRETARY OF STATE.
MADELINE ALBRECHT, A FRIEND,
SOMEBODY I COVERED FOR DECADES
HAS DIED.
SHE WAS 84 YEARS OLD. SHE CAME TO AMERICA AS A CHILD
SHE CAME TO AMERICA AS A CHILD
IN 1948 FROM CZECHOSLOVAKIA, AND
SHE SERVED AT THE NATIONAL
SECURITY COUNCIL AND PRESIDENT
CLINTON NOMINATED HER TO BE THE
AMBASSADOR TO THE U.N. AND THEN
SECRETARY OF STATE.
SHE WAS AWARDED THE PRESIDENTIAL
MEDAL OF FREEDOM.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK BACK AT HER
REMARKABLE LIFE.
BY THE TIME MADELINE ALBRECHT
BECAME SECRETARY OF STATE, SHE
RAISED A FAMILY AND HAD A FULL
CAREER, BUT THIS SECOND ACT OF
BECOMING THE COUNTRY'S FIRST
FEMALE SECRETARY OF STATE IN
1977 WAS HISTORIC.
>> THIS IS A DREAM COME TRUE.
>> WORKING TO SHAPE SEVERAL MOMENT IN HISTORY.
MOMENT IN HISTORY.
BORN THE DAUGHTER OF A CZECH DIP
RAW -- DIPLOMAT.
-- DIPLOMAT.
SHE GRADUATED FROM WELLESLEY AND
ADVISED PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE,
MICHAEL DUCACUS.
SHE WAS PRESIDENT OF A
WASHINGTON THINK TANK BEFORE
BEING NAMED BILL CLINTON'S U.N.
AMBASSADOR IN 1993.
AS AMBASSADOR SHE ARGUED IN FAVOR OF THE INTERVENTION IN
FAVOR OF THE INTERVENTION IN
BOSNIA, BUTTING HEADS WITH COLIN
POWELL.
AFTER SPENDING HER LIFE AS A
CHRISTIAN, HER GRANDPARENTS WERE
JEWISH AND VICTIMS OF THE
HOLOCAUST, AND SHE PUSHED FOR
THE PEACE.
AS SECRETARY OF STATE SHE WAS
MOST PROUD OF HER WORK IN CAUSE
ASROE.
>> I HAVE NOT FOUND THAT BEING A
WOMAN IS A HANDICAP.
IN FACT, I HAVE FOUND IT A
TERRIFIC GENDER TO BE.
>> HER PASSION FOR PINS BECAME
PART OF HER DIPLOMATIC ARSENAL.
AFTER LEAVING THE STATE
DEPARTMENT, ALBRECHT CONTINUED
TO PROMOTE DEMOCRACY.
SHE DEPLOYED HER PERSONAL MOTTO
AS A RALLYING CRY.
>> THERE'S A SPECIAL PLACE IN
HELL FOR WOMEN THAT DO NOT
SUPPORT EACH OTHER.
>> I DO NOT CALL TRUMP A
FASCIST, BUT HE'S THE LEAST
DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENT IN HISTORY.
>> AWARDED A PRESIDENTIAL
FREEDOM MEDAL IN 2012.
SHE CONSIDERED HERSELF FIRST AND
FOREMOST A GRATEFUL AMERICAN.
THE FAMILY OF MADELINE ALBRECHT
SAID THEY ARE HEARTBROKEN TO
ANNOUNCE HER DEATH.
SHE'S THE FIRST WOMAN TO HOLD
THAT POSITION, AND THE CAUSE
THEY SAY WAS CANCER.
SHE WAS SURROUNDED BY FAMILY AND