KENT, Ohio — The 52nd May 4 Commemoration will be in-person on the Kent State University campus this year, taking place over several days to remember and honor May 4, 1970 in Kent, Ohio.
The pandemic caused the annual commemoration to be virtual, including a special series of events planned to honor the 50th anniversary of May 4, when four students were killed, and nine students were wounded when the Ohio National Guard fired on students during an anti-war protest.
Roseann “Chic” Canfora, an eyewitness and survivor of May 4, 1970, is a professional-in-residence in Kent State’s School of Media and Journalism. She also is chair of the May 4 Commemoration Committee this year, working in collaboration with the Office of the President and the May 4 Presidential Advisory Committee.
Many people were looking forward to the activities planned for the 50th anniversary of May 4, in 2020, so a larger gathering than usual is expected this year, she said in a release.
“Fortunately, our virtual commemorations the last two years enabled people from all over the world to commemorate with us, and we expect that element of planning to continue with livestreaming even as we return to an in-person commemoration this year,” Canfora said.
The 52nd Commemoration will include events planned by student groups and the university, and run from Sunday, May 1 through Wednesday, May 4. Details of the full schedule will be announced soon, including the May 4 Commemoration Committee’s selection of a keynote speaker.
Sunday, May 1
A folk music and a film series will enable people to gather on campus, connect with old friends and learn about events scheduled for the commemoration.
Monday, May 2
A luncheon with special recognition will take place during the inaugural Jerry M. Lewis May 4 Lecture Series, created to honor Lewis, a faculty marshal in 1970 who witnessed the shootings and was dedicated to memorializing and lecturing on events surrounding that day. Lewis taught at Kent State from 1966 to 2013, and became Professor Emeritus in 1996.
The lecture series is also intended to advance the study of May 4, 1970 and the Vietnam War era. Kent State faculty who are interested in giving a public lecture on those topics should submit proposals to the lecture series website until 5 p.m., Monday April 4.
At 7 p.m. Monday evening, Kent State’s school of music will present a concert commemoration of May 4, “Stories of peace, Protest and Reflection” at Severance Hall in Cleveland, followed by a reception in the main lobby. The event will feature collaboration with the school of theatre and Dance and the Wick Poetry Center.
Tuesday, May 3
The annual May 4 Candlelight Walk and Vigil is planned, preceded by a dedication of the engraved plaques installed last year at the May 4 site. The plaques permanently mark where the nine wounded students were hit by gunfire.
Wednesday, May 4
At 12:24 p.m. at the May 4 site, the campus community and visitors will gather to commemorate the moment gunfire erupted 52 years ago.
Visit Kent State’s website to learn more about May 4, 1970, and this year’s commemoration.
