Peace Corps created

Historical Context Note

Lucas Paul Richert (University of Saskatchewan)

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 3.2.4: American (US) Writing and Culture: Postwar and Contemporary, 1945-present.
Vol. editors: Sofia Ahlberg (Uppsala University), Patrick Chura (University of Akron), Emory Elliott (University of California, Riverside), Dale Enggass (University of Utah), Christopher Hugh Gair (University of Glasgow), Matthew Hofer (University of New Mexico), Stephen E. Meats (Pittsburg State University), Kerry Myler (Birmingham Newman University), Justin Parks (UiT - The Arctic University of Norway), Nick Selby (University of East Anglia)

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Politics

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Date of occurrence 1961-03-01

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United States (Location)

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In line with the famous demand “ask not what your country can do for you -- ask what you can do for your country”, made in his inauguration address on 20 January 1961, on 1 March, the Kennedy administration created the Peace Corps to send skilled young Americans to assist developing countries, particularly in the areas of education, agriculture, health and technology. Its first director was Robert Sargent-Shriver Jr., brother-in-law to the President. By 1966 it would be sending over 15,000 volunteers abroad in a year, and to more than 90 countries.

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86 words

Citation: Richert, Lucas Paul. "Peace Corps created". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 01 November 2008 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=5654, accessed 26 November 2024.]

Peace Corps created

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