May 4 Visitors Center

05/15/2026

In 2025, students, staff, and faculty from Kent State University visited Jackson State University on an alternative spring break trip, where they learned firsthand about the events of May 14, 1970, when state troopers opened fire on the women’s dormitory, Alexander Hall, killing James Earl Green and Phillip Lafayette Gibbs. During our May 4 commemoration, students often hear the phrase, “Long live the spirit of Kent and Jackson State.” Through this trip, they were able to experience that connection in a deeply personal way.

Today, we are thinking of our friends at Jackson State University, especially survivor James Lap Baker, who passed away this past year.

📸: Jeremy Ritch

05/08/2026

It’s been a busy and meaningful week, and while we haven’t had a chance to post during this year’s commemoration, we want to sincerely thank everyone who joined us.

We welcomed more than 300 visitors on May 4, along with over 206 high school students who visited on field trips over the past three days. From honoring John Cleary and Dr. Jerry Lewis to sharing Dean Kahler’s story, this week reminded us why these histories and conversations continue to matter.

Thank you to our staff, students, supporters, and visitors for helping keep these memories and legacies alive.

Long live the spirit of Kent and Jackson State.

05/02/2026

New May 4 Visitors Center employee alert! Our director decided to open up early today, luckily this guy was around to help. He needed very little training!

05/01/2026

When the sun comes up we’ve got something to do, and that something is honoring Dean Kahler on his birthday at our latest exhibition Dean Kahler and Disability Rights. Please join us in the Reflections gallery from 10 am - 12 pm to honor Dean and our student artists.

04/23/2026

Happy Birthday, Allison! Today she would have been 75.

She celebrated her 19th birthday on April 23rd, 1970, just 11 days before she was killed in the May 4 shooting.

Her younger sister, Laurie, came to Kent to see her on her birthday, then a few days later her parents drove up to visit.

04/17/2026

When the sun comes up, we're ready to install! Still Standing: Dean Kahler and Disability Rights is being installed and we can't wait to share it will you! Please join us May 1 at 10 AM for the opening celebration or throughout the weekend of Commemoration activities.

04/16/2026

We’re proud to have Hannah at the May 4 Visitors Center and can’t wait to see what she does next!

Meet Hannah Fletcher, a Kent State history major and Ravenna native who balances student life with her role at the May 4 Visitors Center.

04/06/2026

As we approach this year’s Jerry M. Lewis May 4 Lecture, we recognize that this history remains deeply personal, particularly for those with lived memories of May 4, 1970.

This year’s speaker, historian David Strittmatter, will present research from his oral history project documenting the voices of Ohio National Guard members present that day, perspectives that contribute to a fuller understanding of the events. We honor the memory of those killed and wounded and recognize the experiences of survivors that continue to shape our understanding of May 4.

This program is offered in the spirit of learning, remembrance, and thoughtful dialogue, qualities that Dr. Lewis held closely. The program will conclude with a remembrance of Dr. Lewis.

Read more about the event and get information on registering here:

Ohio Northern University historian David Strittmatter will present the 2026 Jerry M. Lewis May 4 Lecture Series, sharing firsthand oral histories from Ohio National Guardsmen who were present during the May 4, 1970, shootings at Kent State University.

03/30/2026

Yesterday marked Vietnam Veterans Day, observed on March 29 to commemorate the 1973 departure of the last U.S. combat troops from Vietnam, an event documented here in the Daily Kent Stater.

Today, a special memorial in bloom on the Commons honors the 58,175 U.S. service members who lost their lives in the Vietnam War. The installation was created by Professor Emeritus Brinsley Tyrrell, offering a powerful, living tribute to those who served and sacrificed.

Take a moment to visit, reflect, and remember.

03/28/2026

Today we remember Jeffrey Miller on what would have been his 76th birthday.

Jeff is most often remembered for the tragic events of May 4, 1970, but he was also a 20-year-old college student with a deep love for rock music, a wide circle of friends, and a life full of possibility. Among his personal belongings was a collection of records that reflected his passion for the music and culture of his time.

This photograph of Jeff was taken just weeks before May 4, after a concert, when two young women gave Jeff a ride as he hitchhiked his way back to Kent. It captures him in a moment of ordinary life as Jeff is smiling, relaxed, and immersed in the music and experiences he loved.

On his birthday, we honor Jeff not only as one of the four students killed at Kent State, but as a brother, a son, a friend, and a young man whose life was defined by far more than the way it ended.

Photo by Hadley Hines, Pattie. Kent State University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives.
Records donated by Russ Miller, Kent State University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives.