May 4 Visitors Center

Oh deer! We had a special visitor at Taylor Hall this afternoon- We hope she was able to check out our interpretive panels and learn something new ✨🦌

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

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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:

David Strittmatter to Deliver 2026 Jerry M. Lewis May 4 Lecture on Kent State Guardsmen Oral Histories 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.

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.