美国爵士乐大师路易斯·阿姆斯特朗在国内处于激烈的社会动荡的时期作为一名“爵士乐大使”代表美国在海外巡演。

在20世纪50年代至60年代，美国国务院选派到全球各地巡回演出的“爵士乐大使”（Jazz Ambassadors）代表的是处于激烈的社会动荡时期的美国。许多参加巡演的爵士乐队中既有白人乐手也有非洲裔乐手——这在那个美国的许多城市和乡村仍处于种族隔离状态的时代，的确是一个强有力的种族融合的象征。

虽然艺术家们很高兴能代表自己的国家并传播他们对爵士乐的热爱，但许多人也认识到其中的讽刺意味，因为他们在国外展现美国自由与平等的理念的同时，在国内却并没有普遍享有这些理念。

突显上述反差的一个事例是，“爵士乐大使”项目中演出最多、名气最大的参与者之一路易斯•阿姆斯特朗（Louis Armstrong）曾于1957年取消在莫斯科的演出，以此抗议艾森豪威尔政府没有在阿肯色州的小石城（Little Rock）强力执行新获通过的废除学校种族隔离的法律。世界各国报刊都在头版头条报道了他当时做出的愤怒反应。

两个星期后，面对不仅来自阿姆斯特朗而且来自全国各阶层的压力，艾森豪威尔派出国民警卫队（National Guard）确保非洲裔学生能够在小石城安全地在废除种族隔离的学校里上学。阿姆斯特朗公开赞扬了这一举措，并同意继续担任“爵士乐大使”。

1961年，阿姆斯特朗在录制《真正的大使》（The Real Ambassadors）时将自己的感受永久地记录下来：

谁是真正的大使？

有些事实我们不能忽略；

我以谦恭的态度展现美国风貌。

虽然我代表政府，

但政府却没有代表我赞成的一些政策。

American jazz great Louis Armstrong represented the United States abroad as a "Jazz Ambassador" during a time of intense social turmoil back home.

The Jazz Ambassadors who toured the globe for the U.S. Department of State from the 1950s to the 1960s represented the United States during a time of intense social turmoil. Many of the traveling jazz bands included both white and African-American artists — a powerful symbol of integration at a time when many U.S. cities and towns were still segregated.

While the artists were glad to represent their country and spread their love of jazz, many also recognized the irony of representing the American ideals of freedom and equality abroad while these ideals were not universally enjoyed back home.

Louis Armstrong, one of the program’s most prolific and best-known participants, brought this irony to the fore in 1957 when he refused to perform in Moscow to protest the Eisenhower administration’s failure to enforce newly passed school desegregation laws in Little Rock, Arkansas. His angry reaction made the front pages of newspapers around the world.

Two weeks later, facing pressure not only from Armstrong but from all segments of the country, Eisenhower sent in the National Guard to ensure that African-American students could safely attend desegregated schools in Little Rock. Armstrong publicly praised the move and agreed to continue serving as a Jazz Ambassador.

Armstrong immortalized his feelings in the 1961 recording of the album The Real Ambassadors:

Who's the real ambassador?

Certain facts we can't ignore;

In my humble way I'm the USA.

Though I represent the government,

The government don't represent some policies I'm for.