Peace Corps Archives

Bill Thompson

The broader Peace Corps Archives, for materials pertaining to all countries in which the PC served or serves, are housed at the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston. An essential aspect of the Boston collection is an oral history consisting of cassette tape recordings of RPCVs in which they describe their PC experience and how it impacted their lives.

In typical Peace Corps fashion, this is a volunteer endeavor,  and people are needed as interview subjects as well as interviewers to make the recordings. You’re not totally on your own, however. There is a Project Guide with suggestions and sample questions. [You can place a copy of this oral history in the Peace Corps- Colombia Archive as well.]

Over the last five years about 40 RPCV interviewers have completed more than 300 interviews. Those involved in the project want to bump things up several notches for two reasons. They want interviews recorded with volunteers from the 1960s, the first generation.

Also, the 50th anniversary of the Peace Corps is just around the corner, and contributing to the Peace Corps Archive’s collection is a good way to celebrate. In addition to the oral history, you can go down in history by donating photos, letters, diaries, newspaper clippings—whatever you are willing to part with that helps tell the story of the Peace Corps.

The JFK Library wants only original materials, so you’ll have to make copies of anything you want to save. Primary contacts are Jaimie Quaglino, Archivist, 608-241-9569, jaimie.quaglino@nara.gov, and Bob Klein, RPCV Collection Project Organizer, bobklein29@gmail.com. For guidelines on interviews and document donations, contact me at bthompson@spcontrols.com.

Editor’s Note: We’ll feature an article on the Colombia-PC Archive at American U. in a future issue.