May 4 Visitors Center
Annual Candlelight Walk and Vigil Marks May 4
Despite rain, Kent State University continued its commemoration to honor the memory of May 4, 1970 with the annual candlelight walk and vigil on campus. This cornerstone of the commemoration began in 1971. Participants carried candles as they gathered on the Kent State Commons and in the Prentice Hall parking lot.
IN A FLASH: It's Not Just One Day
Remembering May 4, 1970 at Kent State is not confined to just the events around the annual commemoration on campus, but is part of living and learning at Kent State throughout the year.
ToddCast Episode 3: Jerry M. Lewis
Join us on the Kent State ToddCast as President Todd Diacon revisits a conversation with Professor Emeritus Jerry M. Lewis, Ph.D.
‘Experiencing These Things Firsthand Left A Mark On My Heart’
An Alternative Spring Break journey to historic civil rights sites in Mississippi by Kent State students and faculty touched hearts and inspired community engagement. The six-day/five-night trip in March 2025 was sponsored by Kent State’s Office of Community Engaged Learning.
Teach Peace: Living Legacy to Kent State Shootings Honored with May 4 Visitors Center Exhibit
Professor Emeritus of Sociology Jerry Lewis, Ph.D., who devoted his career to ensuring the legacy of May 4, 1970, would remain vibrant, is being honored with an exhibit at the May 4 Visitors Center.
Students: What to Know Before You Vote
Kent State Votes wants to give student voters – especially those voting for the first time – all the information they need to get them to the polls on Election Day.
Historian's New Book Gives 360-Degree View of May 4 Tragedy
Brian VanDeMark, a historian with the United States Naval Academy, has written a new book “Kent State: An American Tragedy.” He will participate in a panel discussion at Kent State on Sept. 27.
IN A FLASH: U.S. Transportation Secretary Buttigieg at Kent State
When U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg visited Kent State this summer, he and U.S. Representative (and Kent State alumna) Emilia Sykes toured the College of Aeronautics and Engineering and the May 4 Visitors Center.
Transportation Secretary Praises Kent State’s College of Aeronautics and Engineering as ‘Future of Aviation’
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg visited Kent State University touring the College of Aeronautics and Engineering, and telling students that “the future of aviation leadership is in your hands.”
‘May 4 Moments’
In her first year as the director of the May 4 Visitor Center, Alison Caplan has enjoyed uniquely wonderful and "magical" experiences in how Kent State's history creates connections and inspiration.