History
Since its founding in 1961, more than 168,000 Americans have served as Peace Corps Volunteers. Through their work in 136 countries across the globe, these Volunteers have promoted friendship among people of different nations while devoting themselves to "helping others help themselves."
The Peace Corps was the idea of our nation's 35th president, John F. Kennedy (1961-63). In October, 1960, during a campaign speech late one night at the University of Michigan, Kennedy talked about his dream for a "Peace Corps" of young people that would be dedicated to the cause of peace and development across the world.
During his inaugural address two months later, Kennedy challenged a new generation of Americans to join "a grand and global alliance" to fight tyranny, poverty, disease, and war. "To those peoples in the huts and villages of half the globe struggling to break the binds of mass misery," Kennedy said, "we pledge our best efforts to help them help themselves." Less than two months later, on March 1, 1961, President Kennedy signed an executive order establishing the Peace Corps. The picture above is from that signing -- President Kennedy is handing the pen he used to the first Peace Corps Director, Sargent Shriver.
For a detailed timeline of the history of the Peace Corps, go here.
What are the goals of the Peace Corps?
