ma121 Amherst College Kennedy Convocation Collection Finding Aid Finding aid prepared by Annie Rutledge. Amherst College Archives and Special Collections
Amherst, MA
© 2007

Amherst College Archives and Special Collections. All rights reserved.

 Finding aid encoded in NoteTab Pro. Encoded by Peter A. Nelson. 2007-11-01 Finding aid written in English Amherst College Archives and Special Collections Amherst College Kennedy Convocation Collection Finding Aid Annie Rutledge 1990 #84-027, #85-102, #87-022, #87-040, #87-097, #88-012, #89-040, #2001-003 1990 Deborah Pelletier, Special Collections and Archives Associate Annie Rutledge, Archives Associate 2004 Ben Simmons (2004 Aug) Peter A. Nelson, Assistant Archivist (2004 Dec) 1990 Nov; revised 2005 Jan Annie Rutledge, Archives Associate (1990) Qingsi Zhu 2008, Student Assistant (2005)

© 2007 Amherst College Archives and Special Collections. All rights reserved.

 Collection Overview Amherst College Kennedy Convocation Collection 1962-1988 1962-1963 4 archives boxes, 1 half archives box (2.25 linear ft.) English Amherst College Archives and Special Collections Correspondence, press releases, news clippings, photographs and other materials documenting President John F. Kennedy's visit to Amherst College on October 26, 1963 for a special convocation at which he and poet Archibald MacLeish were awarded honorary degrees, and for a groundbreaking ceremony for the Robert Frost Library. Historical Note

U.S. President John F. Kennedy visited Amherst College on October 26, 1963 for the ground¬breaking of the Robert Frost Library. The groundbreaking was part of a special alumni weekend that also included a convocation at which President Kennedy and poet Archibald MacLeish were awarded honorary doctor of laws degrees. Both Kennedy and MacLeish spoke at the convocation and Kennedy also spoke later that afternoon at the groundbreaking. On both occasions his remarks were addressed to the significance of Robert Frost and of the arts for the United States and for the world.

The event turned out to be one of President Kennedy's last public appearances before he was assassinated in November. An estimated 10,000 people were on campus that day to witness the events.

The Robert Frost Library was formally dedicated on October 24, 1965.

 Scope and Contents of the Collection

Correspondence, press releases, news clippings, photographs and other materials documenting President John F. Kennedy's visit to Amherst College on October 26, 1963 for a special convocation at which he and poet Archibald MacLeish were awarded honorary degrees, and for a groundbreaking ceremony for the Robert Frost Library.

 Organization of the Collection

This collection is organized into seven series:

PREPARATIONS, 1963 SPEECHES, 1963 PHOTOGRAPHS, 1963 Oct 26 PRESS COVERAGE OF THE EVENTS, 1963 SCRAPBOOKS, 1963 POST-EVENT CORRESPONDENCE, 1963-1968 RETROSPECTIVES, 1963-2005 Information on Use Terms of Access and Use

There is no restriction on access to the Kennedy Convocation Collection for research use. Particularly fragile items may be restricted for preservation purposes.

Requests for permission to publish material from the Papers should be directed to the Archives and Special Collections. It is the responsibility of the researcher to identify and satisfy the holders of all copyrights.

 Preferred Citation

Please use the following format when citing materials from this collection:

[Identification of item], in 1963 Kennedy Convocation Collection [Box #, folder #]. Amherst College Archives and Special Collections, Amherst College Library.

 Additional Formats

Selected documents and images from this collection are also available in the web exhibition The President and the Poet: John F. Kennedy at Amherst, 1963.

 Search Terms Frost, Robert, 1874-1963--Criticism and interpretation. Kennedy, John F. (John Fitzgerald), 1917-1963. MacLeish, Archibald, 1892- Amherst College. Library. Amherst College--Buildings. Amherst College. Library. American poetry--20th century--History and criticism. Photographs--Amherst College. Kennedy, John F. (John Fitzgerald), 1917-1963. Amherst College. Additional Information Related Material Amherst Alumni News, Special Issue, Fall 1963: "The Presidential Convocation and Ground Breaking for the Robert Frost Library" "The Poet and the President." Amherst Magazine, Fall/winter 2003-2004. Companion web article with additional resources available at: www.amherst.edu/magazine/issues/0304fallwinter/jfk/ John J. McCloy Papers: Series 3 (Scrapbooks): Scrapbook 3 (includes photographs of the Convocation and Groundbreaking) Non-Alumni Biographical Files - Kennedy, John F. Audio-Visual Collection: audiotape cassette recordings of Kennedy's Convocation speech and remarks at the Groundbreaking: "JFK at Amherst," audio cassette recording (Object # 365) "An Intimate Look at John F. Kennedy" audio CD (Object #831) "1963 Kennedy Convocation" audio CD (Object #832) "Groundbreaking of the Robert Frost Library" audio cassette recording (Object #833) "Convocation" audio cassette recording (Object #106 and 164) Web exhibit: "The President and the Poet: John F. Kennedy at Amherst, October 1963." URL: www.amherst.edu/library/archives/exhibitions/kennedy-frost/. Amherst College Archives & Special Collections, 2003. The full text and an audio recording of President Kennedy's remarks at the Convocation ceremony and the groundbreaking for Robert Frost Library are available at the Web site of the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. SERIES 1: PREPARATIONS 1963

Series 1, PREPARATIONS, includes correspondence, convocation committee materials, seating plans, maps, invitations and other mailings, press releases and other media documents related to the preparations for the events of October 23, 1963. This series includes information collected about similar events at other colleges and universities, as well as material on the Robert Frost memorial service held at Amherst College on February 17, 1963. This series is organized into the following sub-groups:

A. Related Events about other honorary events and also the Frost memorial service

B. Mailings and Correspondence

C. Planning Documents and Printed Matter

D. Press Releases

 1 1 Yale University Commencement Information 1962 Jun 1 2 Robert Frost Memorial Service, Johnson Chapel 1963 Feb 17 1 3 Robert Frost Memorial Service Amherst College List 1963 Feb 1 4 The American University Bulletin Commencement, Kennedy's Speech, Honorary Degree Citation 1963 Jun 10 1 5 Seton Hill College - re: Mrs. Joseph P. Kennedy 1963 Oct 26 1 6 Mailings - To alumni and undergraduates 1963 Aug-Sep 1 7 Convocation Committee: minutes, mailings, expenses, etc. 1963 Aug-Oct 1 8 Letter to Peter Schrag from Pierre Salinger 1963 Aug 6 1 9 Miscellaneous Correspondence 1963 Aug-Oct 1 10 Correspondence re: Program: John J. McCloy to J. Alfred Guest; J. Alfred Guest to Evelyn Lincoln 1963 Sep 1 11 Educational Radio Network memo 1963 Oct 23 1 12 Suggested timetable 1963 Oct 9 1 13 Invitations n.d. 1 14 Ticket to Convocation 1963 Oct 26 1 15 Program for Convocation and Ground breaking n.d. 1 16 Alumni Weekend packet for Oct 25-26, 1963 1963 Aug 1 17 Agenda for 50th Annual Meeting of Alumni Council 1963 Oct 25-26 1 18 Amherst Alumni News, Special Issue, fall 1963 1963 1 19 Duplicates of JFK's speeches and remarks from special edition of Amherst Alumni News n.d. 1 20 Topographic plan of campus and floor plan for the Cage 1963 Oct 26 1 21 Alternate seating plan - for added seats in Cage 1963 Oct 1 22 Procession and reserved section 1963 Oct 1 23 List of Alumni acceptances n.d. 1 24 Luncheon at the President's House list 1963 Oct 1 25 Press information, general information 1963 Oct 1 26 Media plans 1963 Oct 1 27 Press releases - telling of events to happen 1963 Aug-Oct 1 28 Press releases - text of Plimpton's speech 1963 Oct 26 1 29 White House press release: Kennedy remarks at Ground Breaking 1963 Oct 26 1 30 Honorary degree texts (Press release) 1963 Oct 26 SERIES 2: SPEECHES, 1963

Series 2, SPEECHES, 1963, includes the text of President Kennedy's convocation speech, reproductions of his early notes, a typescript draft of the convocation speech prepared by Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. with annotations by the President, and a copy of the library groundbreaking remarks.

 2 1 Copy of Kennedy Convocation Speech (from JFK Library) n.d. 2 2 Notes n.d. 2 3 Notes - Convocation n.d. 2 4 Notes and draft (Schlesinger) n.d. 2 5 Typescript - Convocation n.d. 2 6 Groundbreaking n.d. Series 3, PHOTOGRAPHS

Series 3, PHOTOGRAPHS, documents most of the major events of October 26, 1963, including the arrival of President Kennedy at Amherst, media coverage, the crowds on campus to greet the President, the convocation ceremony and the library groundbreaking. This series is arranged roughly in chronological order.

 3 1 Photograph of the Seal of the President of the United States 1963 3 2 Photographs of bystanders lining the streets, awaiting the arrival of JFK (civil rights protest) 1963 Oct 26 3 3 Photographs of military helicopters arriving 1963 Oct 26 3 4 Photographs of Arrival/Departure of President 1963 Oct 26 3 5 Photograph - JFK walking with Alfred Guest and Calvin Plimpton 1963 Oct 26 3 6 Photograph of seating in the Cage 1963 Oct 26 3 7 The crowd in the Cage 1963 Oct 26 3 8 Photographs of Media arrangements 1963 Oct 26 3 9 Photographs of Media coverage 1963 Oct 26 3 10 Photograph of Pres. John F. Kennedy and Pres. Calvin H. Plimpton in Procession 1963 Oct 26 3 11 Photographs of Marshal 1963 Oct 26 3 12 Photograph of Procession, Entering Podium 1963 Oct 26 3 13 Photograph of Marshal, Faculty, MacLeish, Kennedy and Plimpton 1963 Oct 26 3 14 Amherst College President Calvin H. Plimpton 1963 Oct 26 3 15 Photographs of Archibald MacLeish, recipient of Honorary Degree 1963 Oct 26 3 16 Photographs of John J. McCloy 1963 Oct 26 3 17 Color photographs of JFK sitting on stage in the Cage 1963 Oct 26 3 18 Photographs of Archibald MacLeish, John F. Kennedy 1963 Oct 26 3 19 JFK delivering Convocation address 1963 Oct 26 3 20 Awarding of JFK Honorary degree 1963 Oct 26 3 21 JFK smiling and watching convocation 1963 Oct 26 3 22 Photographs of Archibald MacLeish, John J. McCloy, John F. Kennedy and Calvin H. Plimpton 1963 Oct 26 3 23 Photographs of JFK and Calvin Plimpton in car going from President's house to groundbreaking 1963 Oct 26 3 24 Photographs of people in crowd 1963 Oct 26 3 25 JFK in crowd 1963 Oct 26 3 26 Photograph of the media platform at groundbreaking 1963 Oct 26 3 27 Groundbreaking - Photograph - JFK and Plimpton arrive at podium 1963 Oct 26 3 28 Groundbreaking, standing on podium - John F. Kennedy, Calvin Plimpton 1963 Oct 26 3 29 Band at the Robert Frost Library Groundbreaking 1963 Oct 26 3 30 Groundbreaking - Kendall B. DeBevoise presiding 1963 Oct 26 3 31 Groundbreaking - Calvin Plimpton giving remarks 1963 Oct 26 3 32 Groundbreaking - John J. McCloy giving remarks 1963 Oct 26 3 33 Groundbreaking - JFK speaking 1963 Oct 26 3 34 Photographs - Groundbreakers standing by with shovels while Kendall DeBevoise speaks 1963 Oct 26 3 35 Photographs - Ground breaking taking place 1963 Oct 26 3 36 Photograph of State Police 1963 Oct 26 3 37 Humor 1963 3 38 Contact sheets n.d. Series 4: PRESS COVERAGE OF THE EVENTS, 1963

Series 4, PRESS COVERAGE OF THE EVENTS, 1963, includes newspaper clippings and other printed material covering the president's visit to Amherst, as well as some clippings concerning the dedication of the Robert Frost Library in 1965. This series is arranged roughly in chronological order.

 4 1 Newspaper clippings Re: JFK at Amherst before event pre 1963 Oct 27 4 2 Newspaper clippings giving an account of JFK at Amherst 1963 Oct 26 4 3 The Amherst Student Convocation Special 1963 Oct 26 4 4 Newspapers about JFK at Amherst 1963 Oct 27 4 5 Newspapers giving an account of JFK at Amherst 1963 Oct 28-31 4 6 Amherst Journal Record 1963 Nov 29 4 7 Amherst Journal Record, 31 Oct 1963 and 28 Nov 1963 (duplicates) 1963 Oct-Nov 4 8 Paragraph and photograph about JFK at Amherst 1963 Nov 1 4 9 Wall Street Journal clipping 1963 Nov 6 4 10 Amherst Capital Program Newsletter 1963 Nov 18 4 11 The Amherst Student 1963 Nov 23 4 12 Newspapers giving an account of JFK at Amherst 1963 Nov 4 13 Other misc. news clippings 1963 Nov-Dec 4 14 Unidentified 1963 newspaper clippings pre: convocation and detailing convocation 1963 4 15 The Amherst Student re: Library dedication 1965 Oct 24 Series 5: SCRAPBOOKS, 1963

Series 5, SCRAPBOOKS, 1963, consists of two scrapbooks documenting the convocation and groundbreaking, probably created by Amherst College administrators in the alumni office.

 5 1 Scrapbook 1963 Oct 5 2 Scrapbook n.d. Series 6: POST-EVENT CORRESPONDENCE, 1963-1968

Series 6, POST-EVENT CORRESPONDENCE, 1963-1968, mainly consists of correspondence of J. Alfred Guest, then secretary of the Amherst College Alumni Council and secretary of the Board of Trustees, concerning information about the event and permissions to reproduce material in publications. Arranged chronologically.

 5 3 Letters to J. Alfred Guest from Robert Frost's son-in-law and granddaughter re: library groundbreaking 1963 Oct 5 4 Letter to Horace Hewlett from Joseph L. Presbrey, Jr.; Reply 1963 Oct-Nov 5 5 Letters to the White House 1963 Oct-Nov 5 6 Letter to Archibald MacLeish 1963 Nov 18 5 7 Reactions to Speeches 1963 Oct-Nov 5 8 Correspondence with Nancy Tuckerman, Secretary to Mrs. Kennedy 1964 Jan 5 9 Letter from J. A. Fayne, JFK Library 1964 Jul 16 5 10 "Of Poetry and Power" correspondence 1965 May-Jul 5 11 Spoken Arts correspondence 1964 Mar-1965 May 5 12 Recordings correspondence 1967 Apr 5 13 Memo re: Manuscript for Kennedy Speech: J. A. Guest to C.H. Plimpton 1968 Feb 5 14 Harcourt, Brace - re: Anthology 1968 Oct 23 Series 7, RETROSPECTIVES, 1963-2005

Series 7, RETROSPECTIVES, 1963-2005, consists of published and unpublished retrospective accounts of the Kennedy visit to Amherst. Arranged chronologically.

 5 15 Daily Hampshire Gazette after JFK's death 1963 5 16 Cohasset Cottager Editorial - Remembrance of JFK at Amherst 1963 Dec 5 5 17 Town of Amherst: Town Report for 1963 (cover material - Kennedy's visit to Amherst) 1963 5 18 Amherst Alumni News, Winter 1964 1964 5 19 Periodical articles 1963-1964 5 20 The Boston Globe 1963 5 21 Journal of the National Medical Association 1964 Jan 5 22 Invitations and programs for Robert Frost Library dedication 1965 Oct 5 23 1923-1973 Amherst Alumni Fund 50th Anniversary Brochure - Photograph and quote from Convocation/Groundbreaking 1973 5 24 "A Memoir of John F. Kennedy and Robert Frost" by Stewart L. Udall 1988 Oct 30 5 25 Advertisement for National Endowment for the Arts ca. 1990 5 26 John F. Kennedy Museum Newsletter, Fall 2003, featuring photograph of JFK at Amherst (p. 17) 2003 5 27 The Amherst Student, JFK at Amherst (p. 10) 2003 Oct 22 5 28 Hawkins, Hugh: "Recollections of the JFK Visit to Amherst College, 1963" 2003 Oct 26