'One of the reasons we wanted to write this book was to share the experiences of Kentucky volunteers with other Kentuckians, and everyone, over the past 50 years,' said Angene Wilson. She calls the book a celebration of the 'toughest job we ever loved' and also a description of how she and her husband became citizens of the world for the rest of their lives. Now, 50 years later, they are sharing not only their experiences but also the experiences of other volunteers as they made the decision to join, attended training, adjusted to living overseas and the job, made friends and eventually returned home to serve in their own communities.Īngene Wilson, professor emeritus of in the University of Kentucky College of Education, formerly served as chair of the secondary social studies program from 1975 to 2004. Today the nation celebrates the 50th anniversary of Peace Corps service and the nearly 200,000 Americans that have served in 139 countries, bringing people of all backgrounds together to promote peace, compassion and unity.Ī new book titled 'Voices from the Peace Corps: Fifty Years of Kentucky Volunteers,' celebrates the 50-year anniversary by giving an inside look at the lives of volunteers from around the Commonwealth and how those volunteers became 'citizens of the world,' revealing both the struggles and successes of their service through their inspiring stories.Ĭo-authors Angene Wilson and her husband Jack Wilson, both of whom served in Liberia from 1962 to 1964, felt a personal calling when they heard President Kennedy speak his iconic words and ultimately decided to join the Peace Corps.

Kennedy's inaugural speech served as the basis for the ideological framework of the Peace Corps, one of the nation's most successful international aid programs, which he founded on March 1, 1961. (March 1, 2011) - 'My fellow citizens of the world, ask not what America will do for you, but together what we can do for the freedom of man.'

Africa on My Mind by Angene Wilson