February 17, 2023 – Peace Corps Worldwide

The Franklin Williams Award — Where It Began

Feb 17 2023

by John Coyne (Ethiopia 1962–64) • In 1961, Franklin Williams began to work at Peace Corps HQ as Chief of the Division of Private Organizations, working with CARE, the Experiment in International Living, YMCA, etc. A lawyer and a leader in civil rights cases, he was a friend of Harris Wofford who interested Williams in working for the federal government at the new agency. Years later, when I was managing the Peace Corps Recruitment Office in New York, the recruiters came up with the suggestion that we should ‘honor’ an African American RPCV who was helping us in the city to recruit ethnically diverse PCVs. I thought it would be great to give a special presentation, and name it after an early African American staffer — Franklin H. Williams — who had recently passed away. I spoke to Chuck Baquet, also an African American, a Somalia RPCV (1964-66), . . .

Review | LOUIE by David Mather (Chile)

Feb 17 2023

Louie — 5th in the Crescent Beach Series by David J Mather (Chile 1968– 70) Peace Corps Writers August 2022 323 pages $14.95 (paperback), $7.99 (Kindle) Reviewed by Dean Jefferson (El Salvador 1974-76 and Costa Rica 1976-77) • 330 pages, 37 short chapters, Louie is another opportunity to enjoy David Mather’s unforgettable characters from Florida’s rural Big Bend region on the gulf coast, also known as the Redneck Riviera. This is another page-turner, leaving you wondering where the time went after spending a couple hours immersed in the story. And the chapters are short enough that you feel like you could read just one more! I strongly recommend that you read the whole five book series starting with Crescent Beach, followed by Raw Dawgin’, then The Biloxi Connection and Gator Bait, then finally this volume. However, this well-written novel also stands on its own very well. Most of the . . .

Nominate Best RPCV Book of 2022

Feb 17 2023

The awards are: The Moritz Thomsen Peace Corps Experience Award The Paul Cowan Non-Fiction Award The Maria Thomas Fiction Award The Award for Best Peace Corps Memoir The Award for Best Book of Poetry The Award for Best Short Story Collection The Award for Best Travel Book The Rowland Scherman Award for Best Photography Book The Marian Haley Beil Award for the Best Book Review The Award for Best Children’s Book about a Peace Corps Country Submit your favorite book(s) published in 2022. Send your selection(s) to John Coyne: jcoyneone@gmail.com List what award your selection should be given. The awards will be announced in August 2023. Thank you. Publisher: Marian Haley Beil (Ethiopia 1962-64) Editor: John Coyne (Ethiopia 1962-64) Peace Corps Historian: Joanne Roll (Colombia 1963-65) Book Reviewer: Dean W. Jefferson (El Salvador 1974-76); Costa Rico (1976-77)

David G. Miller, MD (1931-2023) early PC physician

Feb 17 2023

Dr. David G. Miller, 92, died in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, February 5, 2023. Dave was both physician and pioneer. For the U.S. public health Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), he was an early officer in its Epidemic Intelligence Service, staffed by specialists known as “disease detectives. As the Peace Corps started in 1961, he became its first physician fielded in South Asia, based in Dacca, East Pakistan (now Dhaka, Bangladesh). For the first Peace Corps team in mainland Asia, “Pakistan 1”, he played a key role in the first experiment in placing Volunteers with host families to hasten learning Bengali language and culture. He arranged medical care for Volunteers posted around the province. His work later saved the lives of two who were injured by severe illness and a traffic accident. Thus, all 30 “Pakistan 1” Volunteers served their full two years. Dave also travelled to India, . . .

Archive - February 17, 2023