Bicentennial

We embarked on planning for the College's 200-year birthday nearly two years ago. While the Bicentennial celebration kicked off quite differently than we'd imagined, this website offers an engaging, physically distanced way to enjoy the Bicentennial and the history of Amherst right now. And while we look forward to coming together in person to celebrate as a community in fall 2021, in the meantime, please enjoy this site as a starting point from which to explore some of Amherst's past, learn more about Amherst today, and glimpse our aspirations for our third century.

• Click and drag the timeline (at the bottom) to the decade you wish to view.
• Click the magnifying glass to expand the spacing between the years and make the items easier to read.
• Click the icon in the upper right corner to expand the timeline to a full-screen view.
• We have also prepared a web-accessible version of this timeline.

Note: This timeline isn’t intended to be an exhaustive list but rather a sample of Amherst events and happenings. If you are interested in learning more about Amherst’s history, please visit the Amherst College Archives or explore the many sources of information on Amherst College Digital Collections.

Amherst has been here for 200 years, cheerleading in its own way for reason, understanding, conversation and community. It will continue to give students an unrivaled opportunity to absorb the ideas and the values essential not only to personal success but also to creating the world we say we want.”
— BIDDY MARTIN, President of Amherst College

From laying the South College cornerstone in 1820, to weathering the hurricane of 1938, to voting in favor of coeducation in 1974 and beyond, Amherst’s history has been marked by meeting the challenges of its time.

In celebrating our past, we also look ahead. As was true at its founding, Amherst’s commitments to opportunity and quality education continue to depend upon vision, curiosity, diversity and willingness to face the challenges of a changing world.

Promise: The Campaign for Amherst’s Third Century

The Promise campaign promotes the enduring values of liberal arts education. It seeks, as well, to reinvent aspects of the liberal arts to meet the needs of current and future generations of students.

Learn More & Give

A Changing Campus

From new building projects across campus to a Climate Action Plan that aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030, see how Amherst is well-positioned to preserve liberal arts education in the 21st century and beyound.

See the Transformation