Peace Corps Collection,
Collection
Identifier: UNMA 150
Scope and Content Note
The University of New Mexico Peace Corps Collection contains the original proposals and correspondence with national Peace Corps for the creation of the first Latin American Training Center in the nation. The collection contains materials on all aspects of the program and is separated into office, training and country records. The office records include proposals, contracts, meeting minutes, correspondence, and financial information. The training records include booklets, pamphlets, articles, correspondence, evaluations, and photographs. The country records include training materials from the Latin American countries UNM sent volunteers to. There are published reports, correspondence, articles, Peace Corps newsletters produced in Latin America, field feedback related to programs, biographical information on volunteers, and photographs. The collection also includes two audio cassette tapes of John F. Kennedy at Michigan Union in 1960 and a copy of the video recording, Peace Corps at thirty-five; the power of an idea.
Dates
- 1950-1967
Creator
- Peace Corps (U.S.) (Organization)
Language of Materials
English
Access Restrictions
The collection is open for research.
Copy Restrictions
Limited duplication of CSWR material is allowed for research purposes. User is responsible for compliance with all copyright, privacy, and libel laws. Permission is required for publication or distribution.
Institutional History
In 1961 President John F. Kennedy issued an Executive Order creating the Peace Corps. Kennedy's idea was that young people serve their country in places like Asia, Africa and Latin America assisting people in community development. This included training people in public health and recreation, building roads and schools and teaching everything from farming to English, math and science. To get the Peace Corps on campus, the Associated Students of UNM wrote state legislators and Congressmen. They sent a student delegation to Washington to lobby for a UNM training center. In 1962 UNM was designated the year-round Peace Corp Training Center for Latin America. Volunteers were trained to assist host countries in community development, public health and teaching. Their field exercises included construction, public recreation, urban development and social welfare in Spanish-speaking areas of New Mexico. Academic preparation covered area studies, Spanish, Communism, and world affairs. Volunteers were immersed in language training. Volunteers also learned community development and worked on their physical and mental stamina. By 1966 when Washington canceled UNM's Peace Corps contract UNM had trained over 18,000 volunteers for service in eight Latin American countries.
Extent
11 boxes (11 cu. ft.)
General
Contact Information
- Center for Southwest Research
- Zimmerman Library
- University of New Mexico
- Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131-1466
- Phone: 505-277-6451
- Fax: 505-277-0530
- Email: cswrref@unm.edu
- URL: http://eLibrary.unm.edu/cswr
- Community development -- Latin America
- Community development -- New Mexico
- Public health -- Latin America
- Public health -- New Mexico
- Voluntarism -- Latin America
- Voluntarism -- United States
- Volunteer workers in social service -- Latin America
- Volunteer workers in social service -- United States
- Volunteers -- United States
Creator
- Peace Corps (U.S.) (Organization)
- Title
- Finding Aid of the Peace Corps Collection, 1950-1967
- Status
- Edited Full Draft
- Author
- Processed by Terry Gugliotta
- Date
- ©2000
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is in English
Revision Statements
- June 28, 2004: PUBLIC "-//University of New Mexico::Center for Southwest Research//TEXT (US::NmU::UNMA 150::Peace Corps Collection)//EN" "nmu1unma150.sgml" converted from EAD 1.0 to 2002 by v1to02.xsl (sy2003-10-15).
Repository Details
Part of the UNM Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections Repository
Contact:
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451
cswrref@unm.edu
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451
cswrref@unm.edu