First International Conference of American States

American history

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June 26, 2026

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The First International Conference of American States, held in 1889–90, was a significant meeting of representatives from independent states in the Western Hemisphere. Largely driven by U.S. Secretary of State James G. Blaine, the conference established the International Union of American Republics. This organization, later known as the Pan-American Union, aimed to foster cooperation and address common commercial and juridical issues among the Americas. The conference laid the groundwork for future Pan-American meetings that would tackle a range of topics, including arbitration, international law, and hemispheric defense, eventually leading to the formation of the Organization of American States in 1948.12

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Benjamin Harrison
Presidency
Blaine, presided over the First International Conference of American States, held in Washington, D.C. (1889–90), which established the International Union of American Republics (later called the Pan-American Union) for the exchange of cultural and scientific information. In addition, Blaine successfully resisted pressure from Germany and Great Britain to abandon…
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Blaine, presided over the First International Conference of American States, held in Washington, D.C. (1889–90), which established the International Union of American Republics (later called the Pan-American Union) for the exchange of cultural and scientific information. In addition, Blaine successfully resisted pressure from Germany and Great Britain to abandon…
Read More

Pan-American conferences
The First International Conference of American States (1889–90), which was held largely as the result of the efforts of U.S. Secretary of State James G. Blaine, established the International Union of American Republics (later called the Pan-American Union), with its headquarters in Washington, D.C. Subsequent conferences…
Read More
The First International Conference of American States (1889–90), which was held largely as the result of the efforts of U.S. Secretary of State James G. Blaine, established the International Union of American Republics (later called the Pan-American Union), with its headquarters in Washington, D.C. Subsequent conferences…
Read More