Albright served as the first female secretary of state after being nominated by former President Bill Clinton on Dec. 5, 1996. She was confirmed by the Senate on Jan. 22, 1997, and sworn in the next day, according to her official State Department biography.
She served as secretary of state for four years, leaving the position on Jan. 20, 2001.
During her tenure, Albright promoted the expansion of NATO into the former Soviet bloc nations.
Prior to being secretary of state, Albright served the Clinton administration as the ambassador to the United Nations.
Albright was born Marie Jean “Madlenka” Korbel on May 15, 1937, in Prague, Czechosloviakia. But because of where she was born, she was not able to be part of the presidential line of succession, despite being secretary of state, which is fourth in line, since she was not born in the U.S., the AP reported.
Her family came to the U.S. after a communist coup in 1948, settling in Denver, Colorado. She changed her name to Madeleine and became a citizen in 1957.
She graduated with honors from Wellesley College in 1959 with a bachelor of arts in political science. She had a Ph.D. in public law and government from Columbia University, graduating in 1976.
Albright went on to serve as a chief legislative assistant to Sen. Edmund Muskie (D-Maine) from 1976 to 1978. She was a White House staffer under President Jimmy Carter and was on the National Security Council under National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski.
She was appointed research professor of international affairs at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and served as director of its Women in Foreign Service Program.
After she left her position as secretary of state, she remained outspoken on how the federal government operated internationally.
She criticized President George W. Bush for using “the shock of force” instead of diplomacy, the AP reported.
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Through the years Senior Portarit from Wesley College of Madeleine Albright (Photo by Brooks Kraft LLC/Sygma via Getty Images) (Brooks Kraft/Sygma via Getty Images)
Through the years Georgetown Univ. professor Madeleine K. Albright, foreign policy advisor to presidential candidate Michael S. Dukakis, working in her office. (Photo by Diana Walker/Getty Images) (Diana Walker/Getty Images)
Through the years Madeleine K. Albright before the Senate Foreign. Relations Committee during her confirmation hearing to be U.S. Representative to UN, she is holding Copy of UN Charter, Washington, D.C., USA, R. Michael Jenkins, January 23, 1993. (Photo by: Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) (Circa Images/Universal History Archive/Univer)
Through the years WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 17: Picture dated 17 April 95 shows US Secretary of State Warren Christopher yawning while US Ambassador Madeleine Albright talks during opening statements at the United Nations Conference on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. US President Bill Clinton has named Madeleine Albright as his new secretary of state. (Photo credit should read BOB STRONG/AFP via Getty Images) (BOB STRONG/AFP via Getty Images)
Through the years 287483 09: New Secretary of State Madeline K. Albright speaks during a press conference announcing President Clinton's second-term Cabinet members December 5, 1996 in Washington, DC. Laden with political and historical significance, the President's new national security team contains among them a republican as Secretary of Defense and the first female Secretary of State. (Photo by Stephen Jaffe/Liaison) (Stephen Jaffe/Getty Images)
Through the years U.S. Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, shaking hands with the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, prior to holding talks aimed at restarting the Middle East peace process. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) (Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Through the years U.S. Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, with (from left) the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Foreign Minister David Levy and Defence Minister Yitzhak Mordechai after a three hour meeting discussing the Middle East peace talks. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) (Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Through the years AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - AUGUST 01: The United States Secretary of State, The Honourable Madeleine Albright, Hongi's (traditional Maori greeting) with Ngati Whatua's (people of the land) Eriapa Uruamo during her welcome to New Zealand at the Auckland War Memorial Museum on Saturday, August 1, 1998. (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images) (Phil Walter/Getty Images)
Through the years Meeting between United States Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Kim Jong-il, in October 2000, North Korea. (Photo by API/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images) (API/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)
Through the years NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 29: Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright discusses her pin collection at the Museum of Arts and Design, where it is currently on display, on September 29, 2009 in New York City. The exhibition coincides with the release of her new book, Read My Pins, where Albright discusses how she used jewelry as a diplomatic weapon during her time in politics. The exhibition, Read My Pins: The Madeline Albright Collection, features over 200 of her pins and some of the stories behind them. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Through the years WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 19: Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright (R) and her daughter Alice Albright arrive at the White House for a state dinner Jan. 19, 2011 in Washington, DC. President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama are hosting resident Hu Jintao for a state dinner during his visit to the United States. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images) (Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images)
Through the years NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 09: Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright sits on a panel hosted by the Clinton Foundation to recognize 15-year anniversary of the Dayton accords February 9, 2011 in New York City. Hosted by former U.S President Bill Clinton, the afternoon panel discussed the making of the accords and the ramifications they had on current history. The Dayton accords brought to an end the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina which claimed an estimated 100,000 lives. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Through the years WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 23: Ladan Mohamed (L) of Alexandria, Virginia, who was originally from Somalia, hugs former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright (R) as she was presented with her naturalization certificate during a naturalization ceremony at Department of Interior September 23, 2011 in Washington, DC. About 50 new immigrants from 29 countries participated in the ceremony to become new U.S. citizens. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Through the years WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 29: Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright is presented with a Presidential Medal of Freedom by U.S. President Barack Obama during an East Room event May 29, 2012 at the White House in Washington, DC. The Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, is presented to individuals who have made especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Through the years WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 23: Honoree and former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright peforms at the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Drums Competition and Gala Concert at The Kennedy Center on September 23, 2012 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for The Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz) (Paul Morigi)
Through the years WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 24: Canadian Parliament Liberal Party member Justin Trudeau (L) and former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright participate in a panel discussion during a conference commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Center for American Progress in the Astor Ballroom of the St. Regis Hotel October 24, 2013 in Washington, DC. Co-founded by former Clinton Administration Chief of Staff John Podesta, the liberal public policy research and advocacy organization is a think tank that rivals conservative policy groups, such as the Heritage Foundation and the American Enterprise Institute. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Through the years NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 06: Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright attends the Annual Freedom Award Benefit hosted by the International Rescue Committee at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel on November 6, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for International Rescue Committee) (Mike Coppola)
Through the years WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 03: Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright (L) shows her broach to fellow former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during the ceremonial groundbreaking of the future U.S. Diplomacy Center at the State Department's Harry S. Truman Building September 3, 2014 in Washington, DC. When completed, the Diplomacy Center will be a museum and education center that will 'demonstrate the ways in which diplomacy matters now and has mattered throughout American history.' (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Through the years WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 29: Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright (R), former U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz (C) and former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger (L) testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee January 29, 2015 in Washington, DC. The committee heard testimony from Kissinger, Schultz and Albright on the topic of global challenges and U.S. national security strategy. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Through the years CONCORD, NH - FEBRUARY 06: (L-R) Demoncratic presidential candidate former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) participate in a get out the vote organizing event at Rundlett Middle School on February 6, 2016 in Concord, New Hampshire. With less than one week to go before the New Hampshire primaries, Hillary Clinton continues to campaign throughout the state. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Through the years ARLINGTON, VA - JUNE 30: Secretary of Defense Ash Carter applauds after presenting former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service, on June 30, 2016 at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. (Photo by Allison Shelley/Getty Images) (Allison Shelley/Getty Images)
Through the years NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 20: Chair, Albright Stonebridge Group; Chairman of the Board, National Democratic Institute Hon. Madeleine Albright speaks at the 2016 Concordia Summit - Day 2 at Grand Hyatt New York on September 20, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Concordia Summit) (Paul Morigi)
Through the years WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 21: Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright (R) testifies before a House Armed Services Committee hearing as former National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley looks on in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill on March 21, 2017 in Washington, DC. Former National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley and former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright testified before the House Armed Services Committee about America's role in the world. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Through the years WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 02: Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright appears at American Visionary: John F. Kennedy's Life and Times debut gala at Smithsonian American Art Museum on May 2, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images for WS Productions) (Larry French)
Through the years WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 1: Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright arrives at the Washington National Cathedral for the funeral service for the late Senator John McCain, September 1, 2018 in Washington, DC. Former presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush are set to deliver eulogies for McCain in front of the 2,500 invited guests. McCain will be buried on Sunday at the U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Through the years MUNICH, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 14: Former secretary of the state of the US Madeleine K. Albright attends the 2020 Munich Security Conference (MSC) on February 14, 2020 in Munich, Germany. The annual conference brings together global political, security and business leaders to discuss pressing issues, which this year include climate change, the US commitment to NATO and the spread of disinformation campaigns. (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images) (Johannes Simon/Getty Images)
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