Madeleine grew up in Europe. She has one brother and one sister. Her father worked for different governments. Madeleine’s family moved a lot. She lived in several different countries in Europe. In 1948, her family moved to the United States. They lived in Denver, Colorado.

In 1957, Marie Jana changed her name to Madeleine. She also became a U.S. citizen. Madeleine was a good student. She went to Wellesley College. She studied political science.

After college, Madeleine married Joseph Albright in 1959. They had three daughters. She loved being a mom. While raising her family, Madeleine went back to college. She continued to study political science.

Madeleine worked in politics. She worked for a U.S. Senator. Next she worked for President Jimmy Carter. Albright taught at Georgetown University. She wrote three books.

In 1993, Albright became an ambassador to the United Nations. The United Nations works to make the world a safer place.

Later, in 1996, she became Secretary of State. She worked for President Bill Clinton. She went all over the world. She helped the U.S. work with other countries. Albright retired in 2001.