South State Street will be closed for portions of the day next Thursday, Oct. 14 between South University and East William streets for a special Peace Corps anniversary celebration.

The Ann Arbor City Council agreed Monday night to allow the street closure near the University of Michigan campus from 1 a.m. to 3 a.m. and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

U-M is planning two events to commemorate the 50th anniversary of John F. Kennedy's speech that led to the creation of the Peace Corps, an organization sponsored by the U.S. government that sends people to work as volunteers in developing countries.

The first event will be a meeting from 2 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. on the Michigan Union steps — on the same date and hour of Kennedy's speech to several thousand U-M students in 1960, when he was campaigning for president and announced the idea of the Peace Corps.

The 2 a.m. program will include a performance by the U-M Educational Theater Company that tells the story of Kennedy, the university and the Peace Corps.

The second event in commemoration of Kennedy's speech will begin at 11 a.m. on the Michigan Union steps. Special guest speakers include Harris Wofford, Jack Hood Vaughn, Aaron Williams, Julia Darlow, Mary Sue Coleman and Jennifer Granholm.

For more information, visit the university's website dedicated to the 50th anniversary.
 
Ryan J. Stanton covers government and politics for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529.