Contents
Collection Overview
Historical Note
Scope and Contents of the Collection
Organization of the Collection
Search Terms
SERIES 1: PREPARATIONS
1963
SERIES 2: SPEECHES,
1963
Series 3, PHOTOGRAPHS
Series 4: PRESS COVERAGE OF THE EVENTS,
1963
Series 5: SCRAPBOOKS,
1963
Series 6: POST-EVENT CORRESPONDENCE,
1963-1968
Series 7, RETROSPECTIVES,
1963-2005
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Amherst College Kennedy Convocation Collection
Finding Aid
Finding aid prepared by Annie Rutledge.
© 2007
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Creator:
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Amherst College |
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Title:
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Kennedy Convocation Collection
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Dates:
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1962-1988 |
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Dates:
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1962-1963 |
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Abstract:
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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.
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Extent:
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4 archives boxes, 1 half archives box(2.25 linear ft.) |
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Language:
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English |
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.
Return to the Table of Contents
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.
Return to the Table of Contents
Return to the Table of Contents
This collection is organized into seven series:
Return to the Table of Contents
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
Box
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Folder
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| 1 |
1 |
Yale University Commencement Information
1962 Jun
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2 |
Robert Frost Memorial Service, Johnson Chapel
1963 Feb 17
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3 |
Robert Frost Memorial Service Amherst College List
1963 Feb
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4 |
The American University Bulletin Commencement, Kennedy's Speech, Honorary Degree Citation
1963 Jun 10
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5 |
Seton Hill College - re: Mrs. Joseph P. Kennedy
1963 Oct 26
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6 |
Mailings - To alumni and undergraduates
1963 Aug-Sep
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7 |
Convocation Committee: minutes, mailings, expenses, etc.
1963 Aug-Oct
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8 |
Letter to Peter Schrag from Pierre Salinger
1963 Aug 6
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9 |
Miscellaneous Correspondence
1963 Aug-Oct
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10 |
Correspondence re: Program: John J. McCloy to J. Alfred Guest; J. Alfred Guest to Evelyn Lincoln
1963 Sep
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11 |
Educational Radio Network memo
1963 Oct 23
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12 |
Suggested timetable
1963 Oct 9
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14 |
Ticket to Convocation
1963 Oct 26
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15 |
Program for Convocation and Ground breaking
n.d.
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16 |
Alumni Weekend packet for Oct 25-26, 1963
1963 Aug
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17 |
Agenda for 50th Annual Meeting of Alumni Council
1963 Oct 25-26
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18 |
Amherst Alumni News, Special Issue, fall 1963
1963
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19 |
Duplicates of JFK's speeches and remarks from special editionof Amherst Alumni News
n.d.
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20 |
Topographic plan of campus and floor plan for the Cage
1963 Oct 26
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21 |
Alternate seating plan - for added seats in Cage
1963 Oct
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22 |
Procession and reserved section
1963 Oct
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23 |
List of Alumni acceptances
n.d.
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24 |
Luncheon at the President's House list
1963 Oct
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25 |
Press information, general information
1963 Oct
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27 |
Press releases - telling of events to happen
1963 Aug-Oct
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28 |
Press releases - text of Plimpton's speech
1963 Oct 26
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White House press release: Kennedy remarks at Ground Breaking
1963 Oct 26
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Honorary degree texts (Press release)
1963 Oct 26
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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.
Box
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Folder
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| 2 |
1 |
Copy of Kennedy Convocation Speech (from JFK Library)
n.d.
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3 |
Notes - Convocation
n.d.
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4 |
Notes and draft (Schlesinger)
n.d.
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5 |
Typescript - Convocation
n.d.
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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.
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Folder
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Photograph of the Seal of the President of the United States
1963
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Photographs of bystanders lining the streets, awaiting the arrival of JFK (civil rights protest)
1963 Oct 26
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3 |
Photographs of military helicopters arriving
1963 Oct 26
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Photographs of Arrival/Departure of President
1963 Oct 26
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5 |
Photograph - JFK walking with Alfred Guest and Calvin Plimpton
1963 Oct 26
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Photograph of seating in the Cage
1963 Oct 26
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The crowd in the Cage
1963 Oct 26
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Photographs of Media arrangements
1963 Oct 26
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Photographs of Media coverage
1963 Oct 26
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Photograph of Pres. John F. Kennedy and Pres. Calvin H. Plimpton in Procession
1963 Oct 26
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11 |
Photographs of Marshal
1963 Oct 26
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Photograph of Procession, Entering Podium
1963 Oct 26
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Photograph of Marshal, Faculty, MacLeish, Kennedy and Plimpton
1963 Oct 26
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Amherst College President Calvin H. Plimpton
1963 Oct 26
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15 |
Photographs of Archibald MacLeish, recipient of Honorary Degree
1963 Oct 26
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Photographs of John J. McCloy
1963 Oct 26
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Color photographs of JFK sitting on stage in the Cage
1963 Oct 26
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Photographs of Archibald MacLeish, John F. Kennedy
1963 Oct 26
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JFK delivering Convocation address
1963 Oct 26
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Awarding of JFK Honorary degree
1963 Oct 26
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JFK smiling and watching convocation
1963 Oct 26
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Photographs of Archibald MacLeish, John J. McCloy, John F. Kennedy and Calvin H. Plimpton
1963 Oct 26
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23 |
Photographs of JFK and Calvin Plimpton in car going from President's house to groundbreaking
1963 Oct 26
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24 |
Photographs of people in crowd
1963 Oct 26
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25 |
JFK in crowd
1963 Oct 26
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26 |
Photograph of the media platform at groundbreaking
1963 Oct 26
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27 |
Groundbreaking - Photograph - JFK and Plimpton arrive at podium
1963 Oct 26
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28 |
Groundbreaking, standing on podium - John F. Kennedy, Calvin Plimpton
1963 Oct 26
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29 |
Band at the Robert Frost Library Groundbreaking
1963 Oct 26
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Groundbreaking - Kendall B. DeBevoise presiding
1963 Oct 26
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Groundbreaking - Calvin Plimpton giving remarks
1963 Oct 26
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Groundbreaking - John J. McCloy giving remarks
1963 Oct 26
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Groundbreaking - JFK speaking
1963 Oct 26
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Photographs - Groundbreakers standing by with shovels while Kendall DeBevoise speaks
1963 Oct 26
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Photographs - Ground breaking taking place
1963 Oct 26
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Photograph of State Police
1963 Oct 26
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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.
Box
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Newspaper clippings Re: JFK at Amherst before event
pre 1963 Oct 27
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Newspaper clippings giving an account of JFK at Amherst
1963 Oct 26
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3 |
The Amherst Student Convocation Special
1963 Oct 26
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Newspapers about JFK at Amherst
1963 Oct 27
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Newspapers giving an account of JFK at Amherst
1963 Oct 28-31
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Amherst Journal Record
1963 Nov 29
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Amherst Journal Record, 31 Oct 1963 and 28 Nov 1963 (duplicates)
1963 Oct-Nov
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Paragraph and photograph about JFK at Amherst
1963 Nov 1
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Wall Street Journal clipping
1963 Nov 6
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10 |
Amherst Capital Program Newsletter
1963 Nov 18
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11 |
The Amherst Student
1963 Nov 23
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12 |
Newspapers giving an account of JFK at Amherst
1963 Nov
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13 |
Other misc. news clippings
1963 Nov-Dec
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14 |
Unidentified 1963 newspaper clippings pre: convocation and detailing convocation
1963
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15 |
The Amherst Student re: Library dedication
1965 Oct 24
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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.
Box
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Folder
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1 |
Scrapbook
1963 Oct
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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.
Box
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Folder
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| 5 |
3 |
Letters to J. Alfred Guest from Robert Frost's son-in-law and granddaughter re: library groundbreaking
1963 Oct
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Letter to Horace Hewlett from Joseph L. Presbrey, Jr.; Reply
1963 Oct-Nov
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Letters to the White House
1963 Oct-Nov
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Letter to Archibald MacLeish
1963 Nov 18
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Reactions to Speeches
1963 Oct-Nov
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Correspondence with Nancy Tuckerman, Secretary to Mrs. Kennedy
1964 Jan
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Letter from J. A. Fayne, JFK Library
1964 Jul 16
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10 |
"Of Poetry and Power" correspondence
1965 May-Jul
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11 |
Spoken Arts correspondence
1964 Mar-1965 May
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12 |
Recordings correspondence
1967 Apr
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Memo re: Manuscript for Kennedy Speech: J. A. Guest to C.H. Plimpton
1968 Feb
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14 |
Harcourt, Brace - re: Anthology
1968 Oct 23
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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.
Box
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Folder
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15 |
Daily Hampshire Gazette after JFK's death
1963
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Cohasset Cottager Editorial - Remembrance of JFK at Amherst
1963 Dec 5
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17 |
Town of Amherst: Town Report for 1963 (cover material - Kennedy's visit to Amherst)
1963
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18 |
Amherst Alumni News, Winter 1964
1964
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19 |
Periodical articles
1963-1964
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21 |
Journal of the National Medical Association
1964 Jan
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22 |
Invitations and programs for Robert Frost Library dedication
1965 Oct
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23 |
1923-1973 Amherst Alumni Fund 50th Anniversary Brochure - Photograph and quote from Convocation/Groundbreaking
1973
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24 |
"A Memoir of John F. Kennedy and Robert Frost" by Stewart L. Udall
1988 Oct 30
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25 |
Advertisement for National Endowment for the Arts
ca. 1990
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26 |
John F. Kennedy Museum Newsletter, Fall 2003, featuring photograph of JFK at Amherst (p. 17)
2003
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27 |
The Amherst Student, JFK at Amherst (p. 10)
2003 Oct 22
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28 |
Hawkins, Hugh: "Recollections of the JFK Visit to Amherst College, 1963"
2003 Oct 26
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