External Resources

Overview

The following links are resources to more information of the events of the Kent State May 4th shootings.

May 4 Visitors Center

Housed on the campus of Kent State University, the center tells the May 4 story, set against the political and cultural changes of the 1960s. Using images, artifacts, and multimedia, the center’s exhibits explore the decade leading up to May 4, 1970, the events of that day, the aftermath, and the historical impact.
May 4 Visitors Center

May 4th, 50th Commemoration

The 50th commemoration in 2020 will not only remember and honor those who lost their lives or were wounded, but it will build on the lessons learned over the past 50 years to help inspire others for the next 50 years to continue the pursuits of freedom of expression and social activism.
May 4th, 50th Commemoration

The Black Student Experience

On a national level, opposition to the war and student activism grew from the free speech movement and the Civil Rights Movement. Click here to view online exhibits and resources providing historical background on the inter-relationships among the civil rights, anti-war, and Black Power movements.
The Black Student Experience

Mapping May 4th

This web app draws from the oral histories in the May 4 Collection, Kent State Special Collections and Archives. It maps stories from those histories that describe memories of events at a particular place in Kent between May 1st and May 5th, 1970 (but does not yet include stories within the National Historic Landmark). This web app is designed to serve as a digital memorial, to remember and honor these events.
Mapping May 4th

Kent State Shootings: May 4 Collection

Kent State University was placed into the international spotlight on May 4, 1970, after 13 students were shot by members of the Ohio National Guard at a student demonstration. Four students were killed and nine others were wounded, including one who was permanently paralyzed from his injury. The May 4 Collection, established by the Kent State University Libraries in 1970, includes over 300 cubic feet of primary sources related to the Kent State shootings and their aftermath. The collection is open to the public and is used by researchers from around the world.
Kent State Shootings: May 4 Collection

Making Meaning of May 4: Teaching About the Kent State Shootings

The Making Meaning of May 4 web site provides resources for educators to use to promote understanding of the Kent State shootings on May 4, 1970, enhance humanities education across the disciplines, and demonstrate the meaning of May 4 for today.
Making Meaning of May 4: Teaching About the Kent State Shootings