Interview with Jack Fry, October 12, 2023
Project: Peace Corps: The Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Oral History Project
Interview Summary
Jack Fry served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Kenya from 1969 to 1971 in the Education Program. Jack’s interest in other countries began while attending high school at a DoD school in France. While attending Michigan State University he met someone who shared his interest, and they decided to get married and join Peace Corps. They were selected for Kenya group Education 5. Training was conducted in New York’s Catskill mountains. Swahili language was taught by native speakers. Shortly after arriving in Nairobi, Jack and Marcy Fry traveled to their site, Machakos Girls High School. They lived on campus in teacher housing, and were part of a multi-national teaching staff. In addition to teaching, Jack supervised some school sports programs. The interview discusses their experiences with students and fellow teachers, travel throughout the countryside by motorcycle, visits to other countries, and Peace Corps impact on their lives. Jack relates the story of being held captive by Eritrean separatists during a trip to Ethiopia. The Fry’s returned to Kenya in 2017 and were able to meet many former students. Both of the Fry’s daughters served in Peace Corps as well.Interview Accession
Interviewee Name
Interviewer Name
Interview Date
Interview Keyword
Peace Corps (U.S.) Kenya (country of service) 1969-1971 (date of service) Peace Corps Volunteer Job: Education Kenya Education 5 (training cohort) Peace Corps (U.S.)--1960-1970 Peace Corps training Catskill Mountains, NY (training) Swahili (language) Nairobi Machakos Girls High School (assignment) Machakos Ethiopia capture by separatists Peace Corps family membersInterview Rights
All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.Interview Usage
Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.Restriction
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All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.
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Fry, Jack Interview by Julius Sztuk. 12 Oct. 2023. Lexington, KY: Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.
Fry, J. (2023, October 12). Interview by J. Sztuk. Peace Corps: The Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Oral History Project. Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries, Lexington.
Fry, Jack, interview by Julius Sztuk. October 12, 2023, Peace Corps: The Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Oral History Project, Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.
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