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Marking the 50th Anniversary of the May 4th Shootings

Much has changed in the 50 years since the shootings including the university's own acknowledgment and acceptance of what happened on that day. At the same time, some questions and mysteries still remain.To mark the 50th anniversary, we consider the lasting impact of the shootings.

Remembering Kent State 1970

Ideastream Public Media | By Mark Urycki

Published May 4, 2018 at 4:13 PM EDT

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Four Kent State students--Allison Krause, Jeffrey Miller, Sandra Scheuer, and William Schroeder--were killed by the National Guard on May 4, 1970.

KYLE MONLINELLI / WKSU

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A Kent State memorial provides information on the May 4 tragedy.

ANDREW MEYER / WKSU

On May 4th, 1970, Ohio National Guard troops opened fire on Kent Statestudents protesting the invasion of Cambodia, the escalation of the Vietnam War - and the presence of the guard on campus. In this documentary from 2000, WKSU takes a look at the personal stories and larger lessons that grew from May 4, 1970.

Four students died; nine were wounded. The scene became an icon for the Baby Boom generation.

In 2018, on the 48th anniversary of the shooting, the site was dedicated as a National Historic Landmark.

For many, the history is not national. It's personal. And while it's fading out of many textbooks and memories, it's fresh in the lives of many others.