Peace Corps Launches: Kennedy's Global Volunteer Force
President John F. Kennedy launched the Peace Corps through a televised broadcast in March 1961, establishing a volunteer force that sent American citizens abroad to tackle hunger, education, and environmental challenges. This initiative fundamentally shifted U.S. foreign policy by embedding thousands of young professionals directly within local communities for two-year stints, fostering mutual cultural understanding while driving tangible social and economic development.
March 1, 1961
65 years ago
Key Figures & Places
What Else Happened on March 1
The first military parade in Roman history was thrown by a man who'd just won a war caused by kidnapping his neighbors' daughters. Romulus needed wives for his …
Publicola earned his nickname—"friend of the people"—by tearing down his own house. After defeating Rome's last king at Silva Arsia, the consul faced a differen…
Sulla's soldiers were so starving they'd resorted to boiling leather belts and shoes, but the Athenians had it worse — they were eating grass from the city wall…
King Denis of Portugal officially chartered the University of Coimbra, anchoring the institution in the royal capital before its eventual permanent move to the …
Diocletian elevated his colleague Maximian to the rank of Caesar, splitting the Roman Empire into a formal diarchy. By sharing administrative and military burde…
Four emperors to rule one empire — Diocletian's answer to fifty years of chaos where 26 men claimed the purple and most died violently within months. On March 1…
Talk to History
Have a conversation with historical figures who witnessed this era. Ask questions, explore perspectives, and bring history to life.