Kent War Memorials

When it comes to Kent war memorials, Kent State University has a few that are a bit different than most. This Ohio college pays tribute to not only the soldiers who died during the Vietnam War, but also to the students who were killed on the university campus during an anti-war protest.

About the Kent State Shootings

On May 4, 1970, members of the Ohio National Guard shot 13 Kent State University students, killing four them and injuring nine. One of those wounded is permanently paralyzed. In a matter of 13 seconds, 67 shots were fired on the busy campus when classes were being held. The Ohio National Guard was called to the campus after several days of protesting and rioting, not only at KSU, but within the city's limits. Events occurring include:

• May 1: A day after President Richard M. Nixon that he was sending American troops into Cambodia, not to start a war there, but to help end the war in Vietnam, about 500 KSU students buried a copy of the U.S. Constitution on campus. They said the Constitution had been "murdered" when U.S. troops went into Cambodia. A few hours later, the school's Black United Students also held a rally to talk about recent problems with Ohio National Guard. Word first started spreading about a rally for May 4. That night, a anti-war riot broke out in the downtown area of Kent. The city was declared under a "state of emergency".
• May 2: A dusk-to-dawn curfew was imposed for all residents of Kent and KSU students. That night, another anti-war protest was held on campus, this time more than 2,000 students joined the rally. They set an ROTC building on fire. The Ohio National Guard was alerted. Police used bayonets and tear gas to break up the demonstration and to move students into their dorms.
• May 3: Albeit quiet on campus, the National Guard still made its presence known, fully occupying the university grounds. Ohio Gov. James Rhodes, in a speech nearby, called the student protesters, "the worst type of people we harbor in America, worse than the brown shirts and the communist element..." Later that evening, the guardsmen were told by their commander that state law allows them to "shoot (anyone) if necessary." Another riot was held that night in which tear gas and police force was used to break it up.
• May 4: At noon, more than 1,500 students (some just spectators) gathered at the school's Commons area to protest the invasion into Cambodia and the National Guard's presence on campus. When students refused to disperse, 116 guardsmen with loaded M-1 rifles and tear gas, formed a horizontal line and slowly started moving toward the students. Many students ran away, but the guardsmen still fired tear gas into the crowds of students. After the troops were given the initial order to retreat, several members of the Ohio National Guard Troop G turned around and fired their weapons into a crowd of students in an area parking lot. It was said the most militant and outspoken students were there. Civil trials proved that the guardsmen were given the order to shoot. The following full-time students were killed:
• Allison Krause
• Jeffrey Miller
• Sandra Scheuer
• William Schroeder

Kent's War Memorials

On May 4, 1990, 20 years after that fateful day, the May 4 Memorial was dedicated at Kent State University. It stands on two-and-a-half acres of wooded property overlooking the school's Commons area. The war memorial at Kent State consists of:

• Four polished, black granite disks, one for each student killed.
• Four free-standing pylons or towers which run up the hill
• A total of 58,175 daffodils surround this memorial -- one for each American who died in the Vietnam War.
• Inscribed in the stone threshold are the words, "Inquire, Learn, Reflect." This saying, which was approved by KSU, "affirms the intent that the memorial site provide visitors an opportunity to inquire into the many reasons and purposes of the events, to encourage a learning process, and to reflect on how differences may be resolved peacefully."

More Kent State War Memorials

There are several other memorials on campus to commemorate the May 4, 1070 shootings:

• A year after the four students died, the Center for Peaceful Change was established as a living memorial to them. Today, it is called the Center for Applied Conflict Management.
• The May 4 Resource Center opened up in the university library and contains not only information about the shootings, but about the Vietnam War, but also about the United States' involvement in Southeast Asia.
• The May 4 Marker is plaque dedicated to the three Jewish students who were killed. All four names are inscribed.
• The "Kent Four" Sculpture was designed by former faculty-artist Alastair Granville Jackson.
• In 1978, four stained glass windows were donated by a university alumnus. They are housed in library's May 4 Resource Center.
• In 1999, the university installed individual student markers in the parking lot where the KSU students died.

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