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Dr. Ted Vestal Discusses the History of the Peace Corps --- and the Modern History of Ethiopia

By Rich Fisher

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kwgs/local-kwgs-964842.mp3

Tulsa, Oklahoma – On this edition of our show, we speak with Dr. Ted Vestal, Professor Emeritus of Political Science at OSU. Dr. Vestal went to Ethiopia as a Peace Corps executive in 1964, right after that organization had been established. (He was just out of college at the time.) Ever since, he's maintained an interest in that nation and its people --- indeed, Dr. Vestal has become an academic authority on Ethiopia, and his latest book on this subject is "The Lion of Judah in the New World: Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia and the Shaping of Americans' Attitudes toward Africa." On today's program, Dr. Vestal recounts his early experiences with the Peace Corps, describes how his interest in Ethiopia first took hold (and later bloomed), and also shares a bit of the interesting history behind the wide-ranging, long-running reign of Haile Selassie. Dr. Vestal also tells us that he'll be participating in a free-to-the-public "Celebrating 50 Years of the Peace Corps" event tonight (the 21st) at the Tulsa Historical Society, which begins at 5:30pm. (For more about this event, please go to http://events.peacecorps50.org/event/645fcbc56b83f4215ed175d361204aea.)