As a #KentState grad, it's hard to avoid the history of #May4th1970. I wrote this blog post back in 2020, just as we were hunkering down for the Pandemic on the 50th anniversary. I wanted to share it with you again today. Read below: If you are my age, 47, and if you especially attended Kent State University, you for sure, know the date, May 4th, 1970. That’s the date that four students at Kent State, were shot and killed during protests over the Vietnam War. As a student at Kent State University, every year, the university provides a retrospective of that day. If May 4th fell on a weekday, like today, classes would be postponed at 12 noon so that students could participate in educational remembrance events and activities with special guests, etc. I remember being a student on campus during the 25th anniversary, featuring the show 20/20 as well as the 60s singing group, Peter, Paul, and Mary. This year marks the 50th anniversary of that fateful day. This date will forever be seered into anyone’s mind, who has been connected with Kent State University. It’s also important to the larger history of protest and unrest in America, particularly that of the Civil Rights movement, since Black students were also in the middle of their own protest for equality on campus during this time. 1970 also marks the only other time that state universities in Ohio were closed for the remainder of the semester (much like the shutdowns for our current Coronavirus Quarantine situation). As a result, just like now, I learned during my professional work in Alumni Relations, the Class of 1970 at many universities in Ohio, did not have a formal graduation. As a Class of 97 graduate of Kent state University, I am always cognizant of our controversial history, but I realize that, this history, is part of what made me an active and aware student, made me a student activist and advocate for change, and what made me a proud alumni #KentStateForever I encourage you to visit the link here to find out more about the history of Kent State and May 4th, 1970. A tattered history. #50yearslater #KentStateUniversity #MyAlmaMater https://www.kent.edu/may4kentstate50 Follow my blog, see link in bio. https://www.instagram.com/p/CdJrJLTOYs9/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
