Interview with Elizabeth Colton, December 20, 2023

Interview Summary

Elizabeth Colton served as Peace Corps Volunteer teacher in Kenya (1968-1970). Immediately as a teenager hearing JFK’s Peace Corps idea, Liz wanted to join. 1967 training included intensive Kiswahili instruction in the Poconos, then student-teaching at New York City’s Seward Park High School. Assigned with two other PCVs to teach at Tumutumu Girls Secondary School near Karatina, a Kikuyu community on Mt. Kenya, Liz taught English, introducing new African literature and forming a students traveling theatre. After Kenya’s Ministry of Education commissioned Colton to lead designing an African Literature curriculum for all Kenyan schools, she trained teachers countrywide. Reassigned her second year to nearby Nginda Girls School, she later married a fellow PCV after meeting on an historic PeaceCorps-WHO smallpox eradication expedition. As he was assigned PCAgriculture on Kenya’s coast, Liz taught at Lamu Island Primary. Having spent her post-PeaceCorps career worldwide in diplomacy and journalism, Liz currently teaches Public+Cultural Diplomacy worldwide for UNITAR.

Interview Keyword

Peace Corps (U.S.) Kenya (country of service) 1968-1970 (date of service) Peace Corps Volunteer Job: Education Peace Corps (U.S.)--1960-1970 Kiswahili (language) Tumutumu Girls Secondary School Karatina Kikuyu ethnic group African literature traveling theater African Literature curriculum Nginda Girls School PeaceCorps-WHO smallpox eradication expedition Lamu Island Primary school UNITAR

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