On this day in 1970, Bob Dylan received an honorary doctorate from Princeton University

Dylan and his wife Sara checked in at the Princeton Inn the night before the ceremony along with David Crosby and assistant Ben Slazman. Dylan arrived at the faculty room at 10am the next day, an hour before the graduation ceremonies were set to start. 

According to the Class Day Chairman, Meir Ribilow, Dylan “came romping in in his shades and he was very nervous”. Many around Dylan said that he was indeed apprehensive about the honour and felt out of place. Ribilow went on to say that he found Dylan “uncommunicative”, tending to mumble or speak through Crosby or his aide. 

Dylan’s discomfort grew throughout the morning as reporters arrived, and friends say he considered an escape but decided to stay. He refused to wear the black robes alongside many of the other students, who had instead decided to donate the fees to antiwar organisations. Instead, many of the students, and Dylan wore a white armband with the peace symbol emblazoned on it. Ribilow noted that Dylan listened carefully and respectfully and was gracious when given his honorary Doctorate of Music, though many said he should’ve received a literary award based on the strength of his writing.

Dylan went on to write a song about his experience at the graduation, titled Day of the Locusts.