The ceremony began an hour and a half behind schedule due to the president's late arrival. Dense fog covering the region that morning delayed the flight of his helicopter.
In his speech, John F. Kennedy emphasized the advantages and obligations of an Amherst education. "In return for the great opportunity which society gives the graduates of this and related schools, it seems to me incumbent upon this and other school's graduates to recognize their responsibility to the public interest.
"Privilege is here, and with privilege goes responsibility."
The president also spoke about the power of poetry and the importance of artists in the life of a nation. "When power leads a man towards arrogance, poetry reminds him of his limitations. When power narrows the areas of man's concern, poetry reminds him of the richness and diversity of his existence. When power corrupts, poetry cleanses. For art establishes the basic human truths which must serve as the touchstone of our judgment.
"In pursuing his personal perceptions of reality, [the artist] must often sail against the currents of his time. This is not a popular role. If Robert Frost was much honored during his lifetime, it was because a good many preferred to ignore his darker truths. Yet in retrospect, we see how the artist's fidelity has strengthened the fiber of our national life."
Kennedy hoped for a country with both power and wisdom. "I look forward to an America which commands respect throughout the world not only for its strength but for its civilization as well."
A small group of students and faculty stationed outside the gymnasium demonstrated in support of Kennedy's Civil Rights Act. But President Kennedy was not destined to sign any such bill into law. Only 27 days after appearing at Amherst, John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas.