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The Kennedy Airlift

April 15, 2024

The Kennedy Airlift was started in 1959 by a 28-year-old Kenyan, Tom Mboya, who sought support for promising Kenyan students to get college and university educations in the United States and Canada. It brought hundreds of students from East Africa from 1959 to 1963 and was supported by many North American educational institutions, foundations, and individuals such as the African American Students Foundation (AASF) and African Americans including Harry Belafonte, Jackie Robinson, Sidney Poitier, and Martin Luther King Jr. It got its popular nickname in September 1960 when Senator John F. Kennedy in a close presidential campaign arranged a $100,000 donation from the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr Foundation to cover airfare for the autumn 1960 group of East African students just as the program was running out of funds.[1]

Background edit

The program began in earnest in 1959, when Tom Mboya embarked on a speaking tour of the United States to seek scholarships for students from East Africa. The first batch of 81 students touched down in New York City on September 11, 1959. They would be settled in various universities in the United States and Canada. In Kenya, Mboya liaised with Julius Kiano and Kariuki Njiiri to identify potential students for the airlifts. Both Kiano and Njiiri were alumni of US universities.[2][3]

The airlifts were opposed by Britain, which did not want American meddling with any of its colonies, one of which was Kenya. British officials spread propaganda among top Kenyan students that American education was inferior to British education.

Legacy edit

The airlifts officially ended in 1963. Most of the graduates from American and Canadian colleges and universities went back to help build the newly-independent Kenya. Some were employed even before they had graduated, mainly in the public administration sector as district and provincial officers. Men found it easy to get jobs for which they qualified, but women faced a tougher challenge since they were offered secretarial duties despite being better qualified than most male officers in the same departments. However, the inclusion of women demonstrated foresight on the part of the airlift organizers. One of these women, Wangari Maathai, later won the Nobel Peace Prize, and another, Leah Marangu, later become the first female head of a university in Africa.[4]

Overall, the accomplishments of the airlift students were significant. Several of them became the entrepreneurs, cabinet ministers, members

Notable beneficiaries edit

Over 800 students, mainly from Kenya, benefited from the Kennedy Airlift. Notable recipients include Kenya's Wangari Maathai, the first African female and first environmentalist to win the Nobel Prize; Mahmoud Mamdani, a prominent Ugandan academic listed in the top 100 list of public intellectuals by Prospect Magazine; and George Saitoti, a former vice president of Kenya. Other notable recipients include[3][4][5][6][7]

Academia and education edit

Diplomatic service edit

Environmentalism and conservationism edit

Journalism, writing and media edit

Politics, trade unionism and civil rights edit

Science, technology and medicine edit

Barack Obama Sr. edit

Contrary to some media reports, Barack Obama Sr., the first husband of Stanley Ann Dunham and father of Barack Obama II, was not a direct beneficiary of the airlifts[8] but, inspired by the airlift program, applied to various American universities and received private funding to attend the University of Hawaii. He also received funding from the African American Students Foundation (AASF) with the help of Mboya and so was part of the airlift generation.[4]

References edit

  1. ^ "JFK and the Student Airlift". John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
  2. ^ "Airlifts of US: The first Kenyans to study in America".
  3. ^ a b Kenyan Student Airlifts to America 1959-1961: An Educational Odyssey by Stephens, Robert F.
  4. ^ a b c Shachtman, Tom (2009). Airlift to America: How Barack Obama Sr., John F. Kennedy, Tom Mboya, and 800 East African Students Changed Their World and Ours. St. Martin's. ISBN 978-0-312-57075-0. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
  5. ^ The Spelman spotlight. (Atlanta , Georgia) 1957-1980, November 01, 1959 https://gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu/lccn/sn81304549/1959-11-01/ed-1/seq-1/
  6. ^ Colby College Libraries. https://issuu.com/colbycollegelibrary/docs/colby_magazine_vol._80_no._2_march_/79
  7. ^ Hall of Fame. Stephen Machooka. https://cornellbigred.com/hof.aspx?hof=594
  8. ^ Rothmyer, Karen (16 September 2009). "The African Airlift". {{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)

External links edit

April 15, 2024
kennedy, airlift, started, 1959, year, kenyan, mboya, sought, support, promising, kenyan, students, college, university, educations, united, states, canada, brought, hundreds, students, from, east, africa, from, 1959, 1963, supported, many, north, american, ed. The Kennedy Airlift was started in 1959 by a 28 year old Kenyan Tom Mboya who sought support for promising Kenyan students to get college and university educations in the United States and Canada It brought hundreds of students from East Africa from 1959 to 1963 and was supported by many North American educational institutions foundations and individuals such as the African American Students Foundation AASF and African Americans including Harry Belafonte Jackie Robinson Sidney Poitier and Martin Luther King Jr It got its popular nickname in September 1960 when Senator John F Kennedy in a close presidential campaign arranged a 100 000 donation from the Joseph P Kennedy Jr Foundation to cover airfare for the autumn 1960 group of East African students just as the program was running out of funds 1 Contents 1 Background 2 Legacy 3 Notable beneficiaries 3 1 Academia and education 3 2 Diplomatic service 3 3 Environmentalism and conservationism 3 4 Journalism writing and media 3 5 Politics trade unionism and civil rights 3 6 Science technology and medicine 4 Barack Obama Sr 5 References 6 External linksBackground editThe program began in earnest in 1959 when Tom Mboya embarked on a speaking tour of the United States to seek scholarships for students from East Africa The first batch of 81 students touched down in New York City on September 11 1959 They would be settled in various universities in the United States and Canada In Kenya Mboya liaised with Julius Kiano and Kariuki Njiiri to identify potential students for the airlifts Both Kiano and Njiiri were alumni of US universities 2 3 The airlifts were opposed by Britain which did not want American meddling with any of its colonies one of which was Kenya British officials spread propaganda among top Kenyan students that American education was inferior to British education Legacy editThe airlifts officially ended in 1963 Most of the graduates from American and Canadian colleges and universities went back to help build the newly independent Kenya Some were employed even before they had graduated mainly in the public administration sector as district and provincial officers Men found it easy to get jobs for which they qualified but women faced a tougher challenge since they were offered secretarial duties despite being better qualified than most male officers in the same departments However the inclusion of women demonstrated foresight on the part of the airlift organizers One of these women Wangari Maathai later won the Nobel Peace Prize and another Leah Marangu later become the first female head of a university in Africa 4 Overall the accomplishments of the airlift students were significant Several of them became the entrepreneurs cabinet ministers membersNotable beneficiaries editOver 800 students mainly from Kenya benefited from the Kennedy Airlift Notable recipients include Kenya s Wangari Maathai the first African female and first environmentalist to win the Nobel Prize Mahmoud Mamdani a prominent Ugandan academic listed in the top 100 list of public intellectuals by Prospect Magazine and George Saitoti a former vice president of Kenya Other notable recipients include 3 4 5 6 7 Academia and education edit Prof Leah Marangu Former Vice Chancellor of African Nazarene University Prof Mahmoud Mamdani Prominent Ugandan author and academic Director of Makerere Institute of Social Research Prof Miriam Were Chancellor Moi University Winner of the Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize Dr Nathan K Saziru Former Professor Ohio State University Alumnus of Stanford University University of Oxford Diplomatic service edit Pamela Odede Mboya Former Kenyan representative to UN Habitat Hon Simon Thuo Kairo First Kenyan ambassador to China Prof Washington Aggrey Okumu Kenyan diplomat economist and politician Environmentalism and conservationism edit Hon Wangari Maathai First African female and first environmentalist Nobel Prize winner Journalism writing and media edit Maina wa Kinyatti Kenyan Author and Mau Mau historian Winner of the PEN freedom to write award Politics trade unionism and civil rights edit Hon Arthur Magugu Kenyan politician and former cabinet minister Prof George Saitoti Mathematician Former Vice President of Kenya Hon Ochola Ogaye Mak Anyengo Kenyan trade unionist and politician Hon Wilson Ndolo Ayah Kenyan politician and former cabinet minister Dr Zachary Onyonka Kenyan politician and former cabinet minister Science technology and medicine edit Prof Miriam Were Prominent A I D S researcher Chancellor Moi University Winner of the Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize Dr Ng endo Mwangi First Kenyan female physician First black African student at Smith College in Massachusetts and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York Prof Reuben Olembo Kenyan scientist and environmentalist Former Deputy Director of UNEP Barack Obama Sr editContrary to some media reports Barack Obama Sr the first husband of Stanley Ann Dunham and father of Barack Obama II was not a direct beneficiary of the airlifts 8 but inspired by the airlift program applied to various American universities and received private funding to attend the University of Hawaii He also received funding from the African American Students Foundation AASF with the help of Mboya and so was part of the airlift generation 4 References edit JFK and the Student Airlift John F Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum Retrieved 27 October 2016 Airlifts of US The first Kenyans to study in America a b Kenyan Student Airlifts to America 1959 1961 An Educational Odyssey by Stephens Robert F a b c Shachtman Tom 2009 Airlift to America How Barack Obama Sr John F Kennedy Tom Mboya and 800 East African Students Changed Their World and Ours St Martin s ISBN 978 0 312 57075 0 Retrieved 28 February 2021 The Spelman spotlight Atlanta Georgia 1957 1980 November 01 1959 https gahistoricnewspapers galileo usg edu lccn sn81304549 1959 11 01 ed 1 seq 1 Colby College Libraries https issuu com colbycollegelibrary docs colby magazine vol 80 no 2 march 79 Hall of Fame Stephen Machooka https cornellbigred com hof aspx hof 594 Rothmyer Karen 16 September 2009 The African Airlift a href Template Cite magazine html title Template Cite magazine cite magazine a Cite magazine requires magazine help External links editJFK LIBRARY John F Kennedy and the Student Airlift https www jfklibrary org learn about jfk jfk in history john f kennedy and the student airlift Airlift to America Library of Congress https www youtube com watch v KwMINuEqd54 Riverdale was key to historic African airlift https riverdalepress com stories Riverdale was key to historic African airlift 42400 U S Embassy Nairobi The Kennedy Airlift of 1959 Reverend Daniel Mbai https www youtube com watch v ibqGcwllRCQ Friends salute Mboya s American airlifts 50 years ago The New African https newafricanmagazine com 4195 4 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Kennedy Airlift amp oldid 1216527005, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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