Quincy Blog #16: JFK Museum Part 5: Peace Corps, Space Program, Egypt Help and Jackie's Painting

 In today's blog, you'll learn more things about JFK as we did while touring the JFK Library and Museum in Boston. You'll read about how John F. Kennedy founded the Peace Corps, was responsible for the success of the space program, helped save Nile treasures and you'll see a painting by Jackie Kennedy, who was quite talented! 

(Photo: Tom, Rob and Laurie at the JFK museum, taking in all the amazing history. Credit: R.G.) 

JFK AND 2 OTHERS DEVELOP THE PEACE CORPS - JFK was one of three people to found the Peace Corps. The other founders were: Sargent Shriver and Harriss Wofford. Through the Peace Corps, President John F. Kennedy sought to encourage mutual understanding between Americans and people of other nations and cultures.

(Photo: After signing the Peace Corps act on Sept. 22, 1961, formally establishing the Peace Corps, President Kennedy handed the pen to R. Sargent Shriver, his brother-in-law whom he had designated as the Peace Corps founding director.) 

KENNEDY'S PEACE CORPS GOAL - JFK believed that sending idealistic Americans abroad to work at the grass-roots level would spread American goodwill into developing nations and help stem the growth of communism there. Kennedy lost no time in actualizing his dream for a Peace Corps.

JFK AND THE SPACE PROGRAM - On May 25, 1961, President John F. Kennedy announced before a special joint session of Congress the dramatic and ambitious goal of sending an American safely to the Moon before the end of the decade.  Kennedy began a dramatic expansion of the U.S. space program and committed the nation to the ambitious goal of landing a man on the Moon by the end of the decade. In 1957, the Soviet Union launched the satellite Sputnik, and the space race was on.  Projects Mercury and Apollo occurred under his watch. 

WHAT DID KENNEDY SAY ABOUT THE SPACE PROGRAM? The exploration of space will go ahead, whether we join in it or not. And it is one of the great adventures of all time. And no nation which expects to be the leader of other nations can expect to stay behind in this race for space. For the eyes of the world now look into space, to the moon, and to the planets beyond. He said the U.S. would land on the moon in less than 10 years. The goal was met in 1969. "Space is there. And we are going to climb it. The moon and the planets are there. And new hopes for knowledge and peace are there," Kennedy said.

JACKIE KENNEDY'S PAINTING - In 1961 Jackie Kennedy painted "The White House Long Ago." The painting, which the President displayed in the Oval Office, appears among the First Lady's "favorite things."

DID YOU KNOW JFK HELPED SAVE EGYPTIAN TEMPLES? On April 7, 1961, President John F. Kennedy called on Congress to endorse an international effort to preserve ancient temples in Egypt’s historic Valley of the Kings. The monuments were threatened by the impending construction of the Aswan High Dam across the Nile River, a venture-funded in 1958 by the Soviet Union. Congress subsequently agreed to contribute $16 million toward the cost of relocating the antiquities. 

(Photo: The Egyptian people gifted President Kennedy with a statue from 2400 B.C. which is also in the museum.  Credit: R.G.) 

In exchange for the preservation aid, the United Arab Republic — which had been formed by Egypt and Syria in 1958 — and Sudan agreed to let American archaeologists excavate areas outside the Nile Valley and take some Nile Valley treasures back to U.S. museums. The Egyptian people gifted President Kennedy with a statue from 2400 B.C. which is also in the museum.

Hope you have enjoyed some of the highlights from the JFK museum!