May 4

may4

What’s past is prologue. Let the history of May 4, 1970, be heard this week. 

Kent State Today
Alison Caplan in Washington DC

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.

Assistant Professor Sara Koopman

The idea was simple: Physically connect people with the locations of the May 4, 1970, Kent State University shootings so they might better connect with each other.

Kent State students at 2023 May 4 Commemoration

An all-day conference, presented by the May 4 Education Committee for K-12 educators, students, and Kent State University faculty and staff, will help participants demonstrate knowledge about the critical history of student activism and organizing at Kent State, emphasizing the significance of May 4.

Spring flowers

Blooming flowers and budding trees herald the annual green up on campus in spring semester.

The First Amendment of the US Constitution guarantees free speech.

Kent State University’s School of Peace and Conflict Studies and School of Communication Studies has organized a panel discussion to talk about free speech and protest on campus to educate students about their rights and responsibilities.

Chris Post, Ph.D., professor of geography at Kent State University at Stark, will serve as the 2024 speaker for the Jerry M. Lewis May 4 Lecture Series, a part of the university's annual May 4 Commemoration events.

The lecture series created in 2022 to honor the legacy of Kent State University Professor Emeritus of Sociology Jerry M. Lewis, Ph.D., will feature Professor of Geography Chris Post, Ph.D., presenting “Developing and Interpreting the Wounded Student Markers at Kent State as this year’s selected speaker. The Jerry M. Lewis May 4 Lecture Series and Luncheon will be held on May 3.

Kent community members gather at annual May 4 commemoration

On May 3-4, 2024, Kent State University will hold its annual commemoration honoring the memory of May 4, 1970, a tragic day when the Ohio National Guard fired on Kent State students during an anti-war protest on campus, killing four students, wounding nine others and sparking a turning point in American history.  

Art from Graphic Content exhibition

Alison Caplan, director of the May 4 Visitors Center, provides an up close look at some of the items in the center's "Graphic Content: The Comics of May 4" exhibition.  She also share stories about the art and the artists that created it.  

Kent State celebrates its new partnership with Dewey International University in Cambodia.

Kent State University Provost and Senior Vice President Melody Tankersley, Ph.D., and Vice President for Global Education Marcello Fantoni joined officials from Dewey International University in Battambang, Cambodia, to celebrate a new partnership expected to bring Cambodian students to Kent State.