Madeleine Albright, a child refugee from Nazi- and then Soviet-dominated Eastern Europe who rose to become the first female secretary of state and a mentor to many current and former American statesmen and women, died Wednesday of cancer, her family said. She was 84.

Albright also became famous for her "pin diplomacy," using pins and brooches to convey diplomatic messages. Larry Mantle spoke with Albright in 2009 about her book, "Read My Pins: Stories from a Diplomat's Jewel Box," her distinguished service, and the state of the world.