Colombian historian, essayist, diplomat, and statesman whose long career in journalism and public service strongly influenced the cultural development of his country in the 20th century. His contributions abroad as an educator and diplomat played an important role in introducing North Americans and Europeans to Spanish American history and contemporary culture.

Arciniegas became a prominent figure in public life soon after his graduation from the law school of the National University of Colombia in Bogotá in 1924. He contributed essays to several newspapers and magazines, founding the review Universidad (“University”) in Bogotá in 1928 and becoming director of the newspaper El tiempo (“The Times”) there in 1939; he contributed to the latter until his death. Also active in education, Arciniegas served as Colombian minister of education (1941–42 and 1945–46) and taught at several universities in the United States, including Columbia University in New York City (1947–57).

Arciniegas published numerous volumes on diverse aspects of Latin American culture and history that reveal his original perceptions as well as his encyclopaedic knowledge. Such works as Biografía del Caribe (1945; Caribbean, Sea of the New World) and El continente de siete colores (1965; Latin America: A Cultural History) introduced an international audience to Arciniegas's panoramic view of his continent.

Arciniegas was appointed Colombian ambassador to Italy in 1959 and later served in Israel, Venezuela, and Vatican City. From 1979 to 1981 he was dean of the faculty of philosophy and letters at the University of the Andes in Bogotá.