May 4
May 4's Legacy Lives on Through Scholarships, Students and Alumni
There are several scholarships dedicated to May 4, 1970. Four were established in 2020 to mark the 50th commemoration of the tragedy, one for each of those who lost their lives, Allison Krause, Jeffrey Miller, Sandra “Sandy” Scheuer and William “Bill” Schroeder. Others promote advocacy or majors in peace and conflict studies.
Annual Candlelight Walk and Vigil Marks May 4
As it has every year since 1971, the annual candlelight walk and vigil brought the Kent State community together to mark the anniversary of May 4, 1970.
IN A FLASH: Highlighting a Life of Commitment and Purpose
An exhibition, running from Apr. 30-Aug. 21, highlights the commitment of Dean Kahler, one of the nine students wounded on May 4, 1970 and his ongoing activities in promoting peace, activism, public service and disability rights.
May 4 Shooting Victim Inspires Students With Disabilities to Embrace Their Own
Dean Kahler is often quoted as saying he only had one bad day at .
That day was May 4, 1970, when an Ohio National Guardsman’s bullet struck Kahler as he stood under a tree watching, from what he thought was a safe distance, a student protest against the escalation of the War in Vietnam. When the National Guard fired on the students, a bullet pierced Kahler’s spine, leaving him paralyzed and wheelchair bound for the rest of his life.
Protector of History: Alan Canfora Collection to be Dedicated at Libraries
The largest private collection of documents and materials relating to the May 4, 1970, shootings at , amassed by survivor Alan Canfora, will be formally dedicated by University Libraries’ Special Collections and Archives on May
MEDIA ADVISORY: Kent State Remembers May 4, 1970, With 56th Commemoration
will hold its annual commemoration to honor the memory of May 4, 1970 – a tragic day when the Ohio National Guard opened fire on Kent State students during an anti-war protest on campus, killing four students and wounding nine others. May 4, 1970, marked a pivotal moment in American history.
‘Perseverance Is Going to Have to Be Part of the Process’
Laura Davis, Ph.D., co-founder and first director of ’s May 4 Visitors Center, was recently named a Woman of the Year by the Summit County Historical Society. Davis was a first-year student at Kent State on May 4, 1970, and she shares her journey to becoming an activist and what people today can learn from America’s history of protest.
Where They Were on May 4, 1970
A future president and a past Kent State administrator were serving at universities in Dayton and Texas on May 4, 1970, and had to find ways to manage student protests in reaction to the shootings.
Historian Who Recorded Guardsmen’s Voices to Speak at Kent State’s 2026 Jerry M. Lewis May 4 Lecture Series
David Strittmatter, associate professor of history at Ohio Northern University, has been selected as the 2026 speaker for the fifth annual Jerry M. Lewis May 4 Lecture Series. He will share firsthand oral histories from Ohio National Guardsmen who were present during the May 4, 1970, shootings at .
Kent State Remembers May 4, 1970, With 56th Commemoration
This year’s May 4 Commemoration, to be held May 1-4, 2026, will include special remembrances of John Cleary, one of the nine wounded students, and Jerry M. Lewis, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Sociology, who served as a faculty marshal during the campus shootings and worked tirelessly to ensure that the legacy of May 4 would endure.