In September of 2009, in anticipation of the 40th anniversary of May 4, the Kent State University Board of Trustees authorized the development of the Kent State May 4 Visitors Center on the Kent campus.
The goals of the May 4 Visitors Center are:
- To provide accurate information base on documented sources about the events surrounding May 4, 1970, while promoting respect for and understanding of different perspectives and interpretations
- To place the events of May 4 within the broader context of the ‘60s and the American Vietnam War experience, and to show that the student demonstrations at Kent State were not isolated incidents
- To demonstrate how the events surrounding May 4 had a profound impact on the university, the community, the nation and the world
- To provoke dialogue and raise questions about the relationship between what happened on May 4 and contemporary issues related to the use of force, human rights and social justice
The May 4 Visitors Center will provide resources to the public, including a permanent exhibit located in Taylor Hall in the center of the historic site, a virtual visitors center and online educational exhibit, a multimedia, self-guided walking tour of the 18-acre historic site, and educational programs for student and public groups.
The May 4 Visitors Center will be an important resource for those interested in historical events and sites, students of many ages and their teachers, Kent State parents, families and alumni, and historians, researchers and journalists.
Kent State is working with one of the nation's foremost museum designers, Gallagher & Associates, to finalize the designs of the permanent exhibit.
Fundraising for the Kent State May 4 Visitors Center is now underway. Gift opportunities of all kinds are currently available. Pending on fundraising efforts, the hope is to have the center open in a few years. For more information on how you can build this important historical resource and be a part of history, contact Kent State’s Institutional Advancement at 330-672-2222 oradvancement@kent.edu or donate online at www.kent.edu/advancement.
Media Contacts:
Emily Vincent, evincen2@kent.edu, 330-672-8595
Bob Burford, rburford@kent.edu, 330-672-8516