Karen Keefer in Nigeria

Country of Service: Nigeria
Place of Service: Offa, Nigeria
Service Type: Education
Dates in Service: 1966-1968
Keywords: Education

Accession Date: August 25, 2016
Access: No restrictions
Collection Size: 1.5 linear feet

Document Types

  • Governmental Publications
  • Language Training Materials
  • Peace Corps Training Materials
  • Teacher Training Materials
  • Textbooks
  • Tourist Publications

Related Items in Other Repositories

Finding Aid

  1. Peace Corps Training Materials 
    1. Language workbooks 
  2. Peace Corps Training Materials 
    1. Language booklets 
  3. Peace Corps Training Materials 
    1. Language workbook 
  4. Textbooks for Teachers 
    1. Education guide and language booklets 
  5. Teacher Training Materials 
    1. Geography and physical health study guides 
  6. Textbooks for Teachers 
    1. African stories in English 
  7. Textbooks for Teachers 
    1. More story books 
  8. Publications  
    1. Nigerian, 1966-1967, Yearbooks 
    2. Guide to prayers 
  9. Publications 
    1. Booklets about Nigeria 

Exhibits on Display: The Peace Corps and its Volunteers

 

Alongside the annual conference of the National Peace Corps Association held in Washington, D.C. in September 2016, AU Archives and Special Collections is debuting two exhibits highlighting its Peace Corps Community Archive. One exhibit will be a physical exhibit on campus and the other online.

The Peace Corps through the Lens of its Volunteers will be on display through the end of the semester on the third floor of the Bender Library.

PCCA Exhibit Screenshot

The Peace Corps and Its Volunteers, the online companion exhibit, will go live this Friday August 26.

Both exhibits draw from the Peace Corps Community Archive and showcase the experiences of Peace Corp Volunteers through journals, letters, and photographs from the 1960s to the present.

For more information, please visit the Peace Corps Community Archive website. To use the collections or make a donation, please contact the AU Archives at archives [at] american.edu.

“The Toughest Job You’ll Ever Love”: Serving in the Peace Corps

Since President Kennedy established the Peace Corps in 1961, over 220,000 volunteers have served in 140 different host countries across the world. Once assigned to a country, volunteers serve a variety of roles. Departments of specialization include education, development, and health. While actively working with communities, Peace Corps volunteers have to adapt to life in a new culture and environment.

Volunteer Meghan Keith-Hynes speaking to a Haitian woman near a stone circle plot.

Volunteer Meghan Keith-Hynes speaking to a Haitian woman near a stone circle plot.

Although passionate and eager to serve developing communities, Peace Corps volunteers may not necessarily have previous experience in their field of work. The sense of being “thrown into” such work can create both excitement and anxiety for new volunteers. Through their previous connections at home and their new connections abroad, Peace Corps volunteers successfully navigate their exciting and unexpected experiences.

Continue reading →

Claire Pettengill in Morocco

Country of Service: Morocco
Service Type: Education
Dates in Service: 1978-1980
Keywords: Education, Community Development, Meknes

Accession Date: June 24, 2016
Access: No restrictions
Collection Size: 2 linear inches (located in small collections)

Document Types

  • Correspondence
  • Postcards
  • Photographs

Additions to Collection:
Accession Date: April 16, 2021
Access: No restrictions
Collection Size: 1 item (letter)

Finding Aid

  1. Correspondence, Parents 
  2. Correspondence with sister 
  3. Photographs 

Sharon Keld in Morocco

Country of Service: Morocco
Service Type: Community Development
Dates in Service: 2006 – 2008
Keywords: Language

Accession Date: March 30, 2016
Access: No restrictions
Collection Size: 0.5 linear feet

Document Types

  • Notebooks containing language lessons and practice, training notes, and meeting and work related notes.
  • Dictionary (2v)
  • Training materials
  • Photograph

Related Items in Other Repositories

Finding Aid

  1. Close of Service 
  2. Dictionaries (self made by Keld) 
  3. Language Journals 
  4. Language Journals & Notes (Book 1, Book 2, Book 3, Book 4) 
  5. Peace Corps Morocco Official Statements 
  6. Personal 
  7. Service Work: Community Development 
  8. Site Visit Reports 
  9. Training & Swearing In 
  10. Training, Ongoing (2007-2008) 
  11. Volunteer Information: Rent & Allowance 

Richard J. Burns in Dominican Republic

Richard James Burns

Country of Service: Dominican Republic
Service Type: Forestry
Dates in Service: 1962 – 1964
Keywords: Forestry

Accession Date: February 29, 2016
Access: No restrictions
Collection Size: 8 items

Document Types

  • Letter
  • Peace Corps ID
  • Photograph
  • Certificate
  • Memoir

Finding Aid

  1. “A Visit,” 1962-1964 
  2. Letters, Official Docs, and a Photograph 
    1. ID 
    2. Certificate 
  3. Slides 
  4. Memoir 
  5. Haitian Vacation 
  6. “Curacao: a Visit” and accompanying slides 

Kay Muldoon-Ibrahim in Chile; Peace Corps Photographer

Kay Muldoon-Ibrahim

Country of Service: Chile
Keywords: Education, Health, Community Development, Fisheries, Crafts, Mapuche Indians

Accession Date: January 14, 2016
Access: Copyright retained by Ms. Muldoon-Ibrahim
Collection Size: 79 digital files

Document Types and Finding Aid

Meghan Keith-Hynes in Haiti

Meghan Keith-Hynes

Country of Service: Haiti
Service Type: Agroforestry
Dates in Service: 1986
Keywords: Forestry

Accession Date: January 7, 2016
Access: No restrictions
Collection Size: 0.5 linear feet

Document Types

  • Photographs

Finding Aid

  1. Slides (1/3) 
  2. Slides (2/3) 
  3. Slides (3/3) 

Albert Briggs and Anne Briggs in Malaysia

Albert Briggs
Anne Briggs

Country of Service: Malaysia
Place of Service: Penang
Service Type: Education
Dates in Service: 1964-1966
Keywords: Library, Mathematics, Penang

Accession Date: January 7, 2016
Access: No restrictions
Collection Size: 0.25 linear feet

Document Types

  • Photographs
  • Letters
  • Programs
  • Publications

Finding Aid

  1. Holiday Greetings from Al and Anne (Christmas 1964, 1965, 1966) 
    1. Christmas letters 
  2. Letters from Al to parents (Training, May 1964 and ‘Thank You’ for Anne’s parents) 
  3. Letters from Anne to Parents, Feb 23, 1964-May 6, 1964 (Training at Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, IL and Hilo, Hawaii) 
  4. Letters from Anne to Parents, ’64-’66 (Service; may 9, 1964-Nov 30, 1966 and Travel; Dec 9, 1966-Jan 12, 1967) 
  5. Letters from Anne to Jenny and Hans Arps (January 18, 1965-December 14, 1966) 
  6. Newsletter, “Keridek Glugor,” 1966 (Interview with Anne Briggs) 
  7. Official Letters to Al Briggs 
  8. Programme, Nov 6&7, 1965 
  9. Teaching Material, Malavia, Oct 1965 
  10. Workshops, Nov 1966