Born: 10 July 1921, United States
Died: 11 August 2009
Country most active: United States
Also known as: Eunice Mary Kennedy
The following bio was written by Emma Rosen, author of On This Day She Made History: 366 Days With Women Who Shaped the World and This Day In Human Ingenuity & Discovery: 366 Days of Scientific Milestones with Women in the Spotlight, and has been republished with permission.
Eunice Mary Kennedy Shriver was a key figure in the Kennedy family, known for her philanthropy. She founded the Special Olympics, a sports organization for those with physical and intellectual disabilities, earning her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1984 for her dedicated efforts.
In 1957, Shriver became executive VP of the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation. She shifted its focus to researching intellectual disabilities and kinder treatments, leading to the Special Olympics.
A staunch advocate, she established the President’s Panel on “Mental Retardation” in 1961, driving deinstitutionalization. Shriver founded NICHD in 1962 and pioneered university programs, healthcare facilities, and support networks.
In 1962, she started Camp Shriver, which later became the Special Olympics. Officially founded in 1968, it hosted the First International Special Olympics Summer Games in Chicago. Special Olympics Inc., a nonprofit, has seen almost three million participants since.