Events & Calendars "Poetry and Politics: A Celebration of the Life and Legacy of President John F. Kennedy"

This year marks the 100th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s birth. To celebrate the occasion and President Kennedy’s Oct. 26, 1963, visit to, and speech at, Amherst College, Congressman Joseph Kennedy III will deliver a keynote address on the steps of Robert Frost Library, the building for which JFK presided over the groundbreaking ceremonies.

Preceding the keynote address will be a forum titled "Poetry and Politics," which will trace the thread connecting President Kennedy’s concerns with the Amherst College’s current interest in, to use President Biddy Martin’s words, setting “an example of community characterized by openness and respect, freedom with responsibility, and politics inflected by poetry.” Located in Cole Assembly Room, the forum will begin with a viewing of JFK’s speech at Amherst College, followed by a panel of Amherst students who will reflect on its meaning and relevance for the current era, and a panel of faculty who will discuss the ways poetry can contribute to achieving what President Kennedy claimed in his 1963 speech. An exhibit and reception will follow the keynote.

For a complete schedule of events, please visit the link below. All programs associated with this celebration are free and open to the public.