Before senior Sophie Swengel stepped foot on Kent State’s campus, she had reached out to students who were doing work to commemorate May 4. So early on in her first year, Swengel became immersed in work for the May 4 Task Force because she had always felt a deep connection to history. She became a secretary and had other responsibilities that led to her being chair of the group.
As a freshman, the history major was drawn to the stories of the past, particularly those that shaped the world she lives in. That is why for Swengel of York, Pennsylvania, the history of the May 4 tragedy has taken on personal significance in her life.
As the May 4 Task Force celebrates its golden anniversary this year, Swengel is proud to once again preserve the memory of May 4, 1970, and the people who were lost and injured that day.
“I'm a big defender of freedom of speech and First Amendment rights, which to me is sort of what May 4th is all about,” Swengel said. “That was part of why I wanted to come here, because I saw that students were able to be a part of that legacy because May 4th, and all the remembrance of it, would not be possible without students.”
The May 4 Task Force is a student-led organization dedicated to preserving the memory of the tragic events of May 4, 1970. On that day, four students — Allison Krause, William Schroeder, Sandra Scheuer and Jeffrey Miller — lost their lives when the Ohio National Guard opened fire on a peaceful protest of the Vietnam War. Nine others were wounded, and the event became a defining moment in American history.
The 50-year milestone is a testament to the dedication of generations of students like Swengel and alumna Wendy Smith, who worked to ensure that the events of May 4, 1970, were never forgotten. Swengel plays a key role in organizing the anniversary commemoration, bringing together past and present members of the Task Force to reflect on its history and impact.
Membership in the May 4 Task Force fluctuates, but its importance to the remembrance of what occurred on May 4, 1970, never wanes. Swengel told Kent State Today that students discuss the group’s longevity.
“Of course, coming up with ideas myself, I’ve done a lot of work designing posters and our banner every year, and the T-shirts we have every year, and I handle social media,” she said.
One such event is May 4th Task Force Presents: Cross-Campus Community feat. Emerson College, during which students are visiting Kent State as part of a course on the tragedies at Kent State and Jackson State. The course is taught by Gregory Payne, Ph.D., who wrote his dissertation on the shootings. The event will be held from 5-7 p.m. on May 2 in Bowman Hall.
Emerson College students will present excerpts from their own May 4 symposium, followed by a panel of students from both Kent and Boston on the importance of cross-campus solidarity and collaboration. Emerson College students worked with Swengel to plan this local event, and she traveled to Boston for the symposium there.
Smith, of Medina, Ohio, was a student at Kent State decades earlier, and like Swengel, she was co-chair of the May 4 Task Force from 1995-1999.
In 1994, when Smith was a freshman, she came across the May 4 Task Force while at an event to showcase Kent State’s student groups. She saw the May 4 Task Force table and the historic photos and was drawn to the group.
“It was the fall of my freshman year in 1994,” Smith said. “They were planning a 20th commemoration at the time. It was quite a big event. I really liked the people. They were progressive and had a big interest in learning from history, so we wouldn’t repeat the same mistakes. I felt like I had found my people.”
Smith had spent her college years advocating awareness and remembrance, ensuring that the lessons of May 4 were passed down to future generations. As the chair of the May 4 Task Force, she worked tirelessly to organize events, educate students and keep the legacy of May 4 alive.
One of Smith’s proudest moments came when she won the Alan Canfora Activism Scholarship, named after one of the wounded students who had spent his life fighting for justice and remembrance. The scholarship not only validated her dedication but also connected her even more deeply to the history she was working to preserve.
Smith said she can’t say enough about the mentorship of the late Alan Canfora and his sister, Roseanne (Chic) Canfora, who was also a Kent State student during the May 4 shootings. Smith is proud of her years working with the task force.
“They truly took a bunch of kids who were the oddballs and took us under their wing,” she said. “They created a sense of community for us. They told us whatever we wanted, to go for it. We didn’t know what they were doing at the time. They were creating this beautiful community of young activists.”
Soon, Smith’s daughter Riley will be graduating from Highland High School in Medina, and she hopes to work with the May 4 Visitors Center. Through the years, Smith made it a practice of bringing her daughter to the May 4 commemorations.
“When we were visiting the campus recently and we saw a May 4 Task Force poster, it warmed my heart to see that they still have a presence on campus,” Smith said. “Riley knows how important it is, not only to me as her mother, but to the university and its place in history.”
For Smith, it is more important than ever for students to practice activism, as the federal and state policies being put into place are eroding Americans’ rights to equality and free speech.
“We live in trying times right now,” Smith said. “This is not the time to be quiet. Get involved in whatever issue you feel passionate about. Find the people on your campus who you can create that kind of community with and let your voice be heard.”