May 4th. To most people this is a seemingly meaningless day, but to Kent State students this date holds a special place in their hearts. On this day in 1970, four innocent students lost their lives as the Ohio National Guard fired 67 rounds into a protest group on campus. What caused this? Why would the National Guard shoot innocent people? As the date draws closer and closer, we should all take the time to reflect on the incident and the victims.
On Thursday, April 30th 1970, the United States army, already deeply involved in the Vietnam War, invaded Cambodia. The next morning May 1st, 500 students gathered on the Commons behind Taylor Hall to protest our further involvement in the war. The demonstration ended peacefully, until later that night when chaos broke out downtown. People leaving a bar began throwing beer bottles at police cars and breaking storefront windows. At the height of the riot, 210 people, a mix of students and locals, had gathered in the streets downtown, yelling, throwing bottles, and lighting fires. The entire Kent police force was called to the scene and eventually succeeded in chasing the crowd out with teargas. Though no one was injured that night, it set up the events that would lead to the shooting.
Saturday, May 2nd. Rumors were flying throughout Kent. The city mayor, Leroy Satrom, became nervous that the riots were going to escalate to a point beyond the local police’s control, and called the governor of Ohio to request the National Guard be sent in. The Ohio National Guard arrived on campus at 10:00 pm. The campus was already in chaos. The ROTC building was burning as thousands of students and other protestors surrounded the fire, cheering. All attempts to put out the blaze were unsuccessful as protestors slashed the fire hoses. Rocks were thrown at police, numerous arrests of protestors were made, more tear gas was released, but at the end of the night there were no major injuries.
On Sunday May 3rd, Ohio Governor Rhodes holds a press conference, enraged at the events from the past two nights. Rhodes slams fists on his desk, calls the students un-American, the “worst type of people we harbor in America”. He explicitly states that he is going to “eradicate the problem” at Kent State. Also that day, some students made their way into town to begin to clean up the mess made at the riots the first night, and were met by mixed feelings from business owners in town. Pressured by the nervous town people, Mayor Satrom puts a temporary curfew in place. Students began to gather again on campus later that night, but were forced out within 45 minutes by the National Guard. The students then filled Lincoln and Main Street, holding peaceful sit-ins with the hopes of gaining a chance to speak to Mayor Satrom or university President Robert White. Yet again the Nation Guard forced them back to their dorms by 11:00, the time of the curfew. A few students were bayoneted by the Guard, but no one was seriously injured.
May 4th; that infamous day had come. As planned three days prior, a protest was to be held again on the Commons outside Taylor Hall. Nervous university staff attempted to ban the rally, fearing for the safety of the students. 2,000 students still gathered on the Commons at noon, and speakers began their speeches. The Guard attempted to disperse the gatherers, and was met by the throwing of stones and rocks. A second attempt, this time involving teargas, was made, but the wind dulled the effects of the gas. Students shouted for the Guards to leave campus, threw more rocks, and even threw back the canisters of teargas throw at them. The Guard took more drastic measures when it became clear the crowd was not going to cooperate. Guardsmen began pushing the crown back with bayoneted rifles. They pushed the crowd back to the opposite side of Taylor Hall and onto the Prentice parking lot, while the Guard ended up on the athletic practice field. Eventually the crowd began to thin but many angry students remained on the Commons to continue the protest. The following events are still unclear and disputed to this day. Eyewitnesses report seeing the Guard kneel at take aim at students, then stand up and being talking and huddling in groups, looking unsure of what they were supposed to do. A sergeant was then seen firing into the crowd. In an automatic military responds, 29 of the 77 guardsmen fired their rifles. 67 rounds were shot into the crowd. It was all over in 13 seconds. Students were shocked, outraged, and ready for a fight. Geology professor and faculty marshal Glenn Frank stands up and pleads with the students:
“I don’t care whether you’ve never listened to anyone before in your lives. I am begging you right now. If you don’t disperse right now, they’re going to move in, and it can only be a slaughter. Would you please listen to me? Jesus Christ, I don’t want to be a part of this … !”
Finally, the students begin to evacuate.
Four dead. Nine wounded. Allison Krause and Jeffery Miller, two of the students who lost their lives that day, had been a part of the protest. Sandra Scheuer and William Knox Schroeder, the other two students who lost their lives, had been passing the protest on their way to class. One of the nine wounded was permanently paralyzed. The events of the May 4th shootings at Kent State shocked the nation. All across America, protests broke out at college campuses. The shooting sparked the only nationwide student strike in all of American history.
Perhaps the protesters did go too far, causing the National Guard to be called into Kent in the first place. Perhaps the Guard was mistaken in their decision to fire. Whether it was the fault of students or the fault of the guard, one thing is certain; no one deserved to die that day. Allison Krause and William Knox Schroeder were 19 years old; Sandra Scheuer and Jeffery Miller were 20. As this the day draws closer, we should all take a moment to remember Allison, William, Jeffery, and Sandra. They were students just like us, going through the same things we do. Stressing over finals, falling in and out of love, trying to decide which party to go to that weekend, working hard to make something of their lives. This Sunday May 4th, on the 44th anniversary of the shooting, take the time to appreciate what you have, and remember just how lucky you are to be alive and here at our beautiful Kent State University.