Administration

TYPED LETTER SIGNED by the American Politician and Activist First Director of the PEACE CORPS and Director of Lyndon Johnson's Office of Economic Opportunity SARGENT SHRIVER.

1966 · rif. 101303 — Washington DC: February 5 1966. 1966. Very good. - Over 150 words typed on 10-1/2 inch high by 8 inch wide "Office of Economic Opportunity / Executive Office of the President" stationery. Sargent Shriver informs U.S. Congressman Seymour Halpern about new appointments to his office "I am delighted to inform you that William G. Phillips has joined our staff as Assistant Director for Congressional Relations." He goes on to tout Phillips qualifications and contact information concluding with "Every effort is being made to expedite our responses to your inquiries about the various anti-poverty programs and to fulfill your requests for literature the status of projects in your State and District and to otherwise serve your needs." Signed "Sargent Shriver" as director. Folded for mailing with creases to the bottom left corner else near fine. Sargent Shriver was an American politician and activist. He married Eunice Kennedy thus becoming part of the Kennedy family. Serving in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations he was the driving force behind the creation of the Peace Corps and founded the Job Corps Head Start and other programs as the architect of Johnson's "War on Poverty". He served as the first director of the Peace Corps from 1961 to 1965 and was the U.S. Ambassador to France under Lyndon Johnson from 1968 to 1970. The Queens New York Republican Congressman Seymour Halpern 1913-1997 started his political career as a campaign aide to New York's powerful mayor Fiorella La Guardia and first served in New York's State Senate for 14 years before seeking a seat in the U.S. Congress. In Albany Halpern sponsored 279 bills that became law including measures on schools housing civil rights nutrition and mental health. A Liberal he was something of an anomaly as the lone Republican representative from New York City and generally garnered support from Labor Unions and endorsement from the Liberal Party. Yet he never even considered switching parties as he considered membership in the Republican Party a family tradition and commitment. While he found ample time for his private pursuits including painting and collecting autographs he took his legislative duties very seriously. Of these he was proudest of his co-sponsorship of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and of the original 1965 Medicare legislation. Washington, DC: February 5, 1966.