Opening on Apr. 30, the eve of Dean Kahler's 76th birthday, "Still Standing: Dean Kahler and Disability Rights," an exhibition at the May 4 Visitors Center shares his spirit, perseverance and activism.
Kahler was one of the nine students wounded during the shootings on May 4, 1970. He was paralyzed by the injury. This experience was the beginning of a lifelong commitment to peace, public service, democratic engagement and disability rights.
The exhibition features personal items, donated by Kahler, archival photographs and interpretive content.
A central part of the exhibition is "Coming Full Circle," a collection of artwork created by students from the Stark County Educational Service Center High School in collaboration with BZTAT Studios. The students' work expresses their own experiences with disability, connecting Kahler's story to the lives of young people today.
Design and fabrication in the exhibition was created through collaboration with Kent State interior design students, in the university's College of Architecture and Environmental Design.
Kahler attended the opening reception for "Still Standing" on May 1, which included a celebration of his birthday and a cake.
"Still Standing" will be on display at the May 4 Visitors Center on Kent State's Kent Campus from Apr. 30 - Aug. 21.
Want to see YOUR photos in “IN A FLASH?” Submit your Kent State-related photos to InAFlash@kent.edu and you may see them in a future Kent State Today post. Photos should be framed -horizontally- and include a brief description of what’s happening in the photo along with when and where it was taken.