Highlights From The Turbulent 1960s Civil Rights Movement

The Peace Corps was established

President John F. Kennedy discovered the proposal for a “Four Point Youth Corps” made by Representative Henry Reuss of Wisconsin. He saw that it had popular appeal and transformed it into a policy of his own.

Source: Peace Corps

The Peace Corps was designed to enable Americans to travel to developing nations around the world and to help participate in their development. On March 1, 1961, an executive order was issued to formally establish the Peace Corps. 750 young men and women enrolled that year to help with projects in 13 different countries. The Peace Corps became a permanent organization through legislative efforts in September of 1961.