KENT STATE MASSACRE

By: Kayla Kraeer

Background

Kent State University in Ohio The shooting happened May 4, 1970 It was supposed to be a four day

peaceful protest Turned into a tragedy

Root of the Problem

Nixon announced April 30, 1970 that American troops had invaded Cambodia as a means to attack the Viet Cong headquarters No one wanted to go to war May 1st Kent State University started there

peaceful protest

May 1st

Anti-war protests were held on college campuses across the country

During this protest the students buried a copy of the Constitution and started planning another protest for noon on Monday, May 4th. They wanted the May 4th protest to catch

everyone's attention, and it certainly did.

May 1st

Later that night, students went into the city of Kent, Ohio Bars were closed by local authorities

○ Hundreds of people were pushed back toward the campus with tear gas

○ Mayor Satrom declared state of emergency and called Governor Rhodes asking for assistance from National Guard.

May 2nd

Students set fire to the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) National Guard arrived on campus that day and

used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd○ They said they meant no harm, just trying to gain

control again.

May 3rd Gov. Rhodes issued statement that he was

going to seek court order to declare state of emergencyThis didn’t actually happen, it was a

misunderstanding In the early evening the students gathered

around the Victory Bell located on Commons (grassy area in front of Kent State)

Crowd grew hostile at 11pm. Riot started and National Guard used tear gas.

May 4th

At noon the crowd started growing, Guards tried using tear gas but it was a windy day and blew back in their face.

Guard forced the crowd to the football field, there 28 guardsmen fired 61-67 shots in 13 seconds.

Aftermath 4 students were killed

Nine wounded Dean was shot in the back, the bullet left

him paralyzed for life Guards went to court but no charges were

given to them because they said they fired in self-defenseClaiming they feared for their live

Guardsman signed a statement of regret, not apology

Girl in the photo is a 14 year old runaway from Florida, she was there so people would hear her voice

Fled campus after the shootingFather recognized her in newspaper and contacted

police, they found her and sent

her home Today she is 54, divorced living with her mother and dog

on a small farm. She goes to Kent State every year on May 4 talking with students.

○ Famous picture of her standing over Jeff’s dead body, screaming “Oh God”

Mary Ann

http://www.slate.com/blogs/behold/2013/05/04/may_4_1970_the_kent_state_university_shootings_told_through_pictures_photos.html

http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/big/0504.html

http://novaonline.nvcc.edu/eli/evans/his135/Events/KentState70/KentState.html

http://www.cleveland.com/opinion/index.ssf/2013/05/kent_state_university_visitor.html