February is Black History Month—a time to honor the contributions, resilience, and achievements of Black Americans. This month, we celebrate the impact of Black volunteers in the Peace Corps, whose service has strengthened communities worldwide while bridging cultures and fostering understanding.
Since 1961, the Peace Corps has embodied the diversity of the United States, sending volunteers of all backgrounds to work alongside communities across the globe. Black volunteers have played a vital role in this mission, sharing their skills and experiences in ways that create lasting change.
Black History Month began in 1924 as Negro History Week and became a month-long celebration in 1976. February was chosen to honor the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln, two key figures in 19th-century Black history. The month serves as a time for people of all backgrounds to recognize and celebrate the significant contributions of Black Americans throughout history.
We highlight the voices of Black volunteers, exploring how their identities shaped their service. Through their stories, we see the power of representation, connection, and perseverance.
Join us in celebrating these inspiring individuals and the legacy they continue to build. Their journeys remind us that service is a bridge between cultures, uniting us in a shared commitment to a better world.
Interviews with Black Volunteers
- Transformative Life as an Education Volunteer in The Gambia
- Inspiring Faith Through Youth Development in Thailand: A Volunteer’s Perspective
- An Education volunteer in Montenegro: An Interview with Angela-Marie
Contact me if you are a current PCV or recently COS’d and want to share your story!
More Black Volunteers’ Stories at PeaceCorps.gov
In the Peace Corps Blog, you’ll find application tips, service journeys and more!
- 4 Black Peace Corps Volunteers in Uganda speak their truths
- A believer in humanity: Sherlene Ferguson’s public service career benefits the Peace Corps
- Darlene Grant: Defining a Life of Service
- This returned Peace Corps Volunteer-turned-staff member is fungally fabulous
- Feeling at home in Jamaica
- The pupil of the eye
- How growing up Guyanese prepared a Brooklyn-born Volunteer for Peace Corps service
- ‘Adjust, adapt, and overcome’: A boy from Cleveland embraces a life of service
- How Peace Corps service can spark the pursuit of professional passions
- Serving at home and abroad: A Volunteer’s journey from AmeriCorps to the Peace Corps
- How one Peace Corps Volunteer’s experience led to a career in global education and service
Thank you for your service!
We’re reminded of the amazing impact these awesome volunteers have had all over the world. They’ve worked hard, been strong, and helped so many people.
Even after Black History Month is over, let’s keep honoring the Black volunteers who came before and also cheer on the volunteers making a difference right now. Let’s keep trying to understand each other, be kind, and come together to make the world better for everyone.
Thanks to all the people who shared their stories. Let’s keep being inspired by them and making our own positive mark on the world!
What are you waiting for? Opportunities like this don’t come often. If you have a passion for service and an adventurous spirit like these volunteers, apply to the Peace Corps today. Expand your horizons, push your limits, and create positive impact as a volunteer. You never know how serving as a Peace Corps volunteer could change your life.
The content of this post does not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Government or the Peace Corps.
