July 8, 2021
About This Episode
Eunice Kennedy Shriver may not be as well known as her brothers Jack, Bobby, and Ted, but during her lifetime, she worked tirelessly behind the scenes to influence public policy and serve the public good. She rallied women voters in JFK’s runs for office, and once he was in the White House, she influenced him - and every president after - to pass laws helping intellectually and physically disabled people and their families. In the late 60s, she founded Special Olympics, which has served more than 5 million athletes in more than 200 countries. In celebration of the centennial of her birth, we speak with biographer Eileen McNamara and her son Timothy Shriver, and hear from Eunice herself.
View the transcript for this episode.
What We Talked About
- View the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Centennial Celebration
- Watch Eunice Kennedy Shriver discuss her life and legacy in 2007 at the JFK Library
- Learn more about Special Olympics
- Read more about Eunice's advocacy during the Kennedy Administration