Happy Birthday, Sargent Shriver!
I had the honor and pleasure of meeting Sargent Shriver a few times. I sat next to him at a…
Rowland Scherman (PC/W Staff photographer 1961-64) writes:
“Here’s the guy who started and ran the Peace Corps, R. Sargent Shriver. I was the first PC photographer, 1961-63. There will be more about this wonderful guy in future Substacks.”
If only everyone who entered politics had Sarge’s common sense, bravery, sensitivity, spirituality, intelligence, and charm.
I can personally vouch for what Rowland Scherman said. I corresponded with Sarge while I was in Ethiopia from 1962 to 1964. I was impressed that Shriver sent me detailed and respectful answers to my questions. Later in his life (and mine) Mr. Shriver contacted me in October 2001. I had published an opinion in the L.A. Times after the 9/11 Al-Queda attack in Manhattan. In my column, I suggested that the only answer to hatred on this scale must be to recognize, as Peace Corps volunteers do, that our common humanity must outweigh the differences among people. Sarge invited me to come to Washington D.C. for several days, where I helped him draft legislation for a new “Fourth Goal” of the Peace Corps—to promote co-existence and peace among people from different cultures. Sadly, the legislation failed to pass and Sarge succumbed to Alzheimer’s disease soon afterward.
When Sarge came to visit us within months of our arrival in Ethiopia in 1962, he brought positive energy, appreciation and support for all we were about to do. Still have a beautiful photo!!!
I had the honor and pleasure of meeting Sargent Shriver a few times. I sat next to him at a dinner in his honor at NYU. It was my first time meeting him. As a former “president” of the Students Against Reaganism chapter and head of the Student Democrats at my mostly blue-collar college, I dreaded leaving the Peace Corps with my Certificate of Service signed by President Reagan. I even thought about extending just to get any other president to sign it. So when the opportunity to sit next to Sarge arose, I brought my certificate with me and asked him to sign over Reagan’s signature. Sarge, a most honorable gentleman, declined, saying the President was the President, but signed above the signature. I said I thought that was a wise way to stay out of trouble, to which Sarge responded, “If I’m not in hot water I don’t know where I am.” The certificate hangs proudly on my wall. –Matt Losak