Kent State to go with virtual events to commemorate 50th anniversary of May 4 shootings

KENT — Before the coronavirus pandemic closed Kent State University in mid-March, a notable lineup was scheduled to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the May 4, 1970, shootings that killed four students and wounded nine others.

Among those killed was Sandra Lee Scheuer, 20, a Boardman High School graduate who was walking to class when she was struck by a bullet. Her death is referenced in Neil Young's song "Ohio" recorded by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.

Actress Jane Fonda was to speak at this year's commemoration and rock stars David Crosby and Joe Walsh were to perform. Those events canceled when the university shut down.

That's not stopping commemoration planners who will mark the anniversary with online events. Students wounded in 1970; musicians Crosby, Graham Nash, Jesse Colin Young and Jerry Casale; actress Tina Fey ("Saturday Night Live," "30 Rock") and others will participate. A variety of online videos, exhibits and learning resources will look back at the tragedy when the Ohio National Guard fired on Kent State students during an anti-war protest.

The online commemoration at www.kent.edu/may4kentstate50 will culminate a yearlong observance that included more than 100 programs and educational activities, which took place university-wide and around the country between July 31 and May 1.

"The annual May 4 Commemorations are a time for many people to come together and share their memories and feelings about the events of May 4, 1970," said Rod Flauhaus, project manager for the commemoration in a news release. "That day left an indelible mark on the lives of many people around the world.

"Even though we are physically not able to come together on the day of the 50th anniversary, we wanted to give people a way to come together online and still share in the experience. While our original plans for the 50th Commemoration have changed, the important thing is that we still remember and honor the lives of Allison Krause, Jeffrey Miller, Sandra Scheuer and William Schroeder and the events of that tragic day in 1970."

A variety of special content will be available on the May 4 50th Commemoration website beginning Friday, May 1.

The centerpiece of the online commemoration will be a special video tribute to be aired on May 4 at noon, featuring footage from past commemorations as well as newly recorded messages from several of the students wounded in 1970 who reflect on that day and their lives since the shootings.

Musicians whose careers and music were affected by the events of May 4, 1970, have contributed new messages for the commemoration video and for the 50th website, including Crosby, Nash, Casale from Devo (Kent State alumnus) and Young from the Youngbloods.

Fey and her husband, Kent State alumnus Jeff Richmond, are lending their voices and talents to a newly recorded version of "May 4th Voices," the play by David Hassler, Kent State's director of the Wick Poetry Center. This new version of the play will be broadcast on several public radio stations and also will be available for streaming directly from the May 4 50th Commemoration website.

Participating in the play are Ron West, Marc Jaffe, Joe Gunderman, Natalie Knepp and Matthew Solomon. More information, including a listing of radio stations broadcasting the production, is available on the May 4 50th Commemoration website.

In March, Kent State canceled its weekend full of programs marking the 50th commemoration following the Ohio Department of Health's guidelines for reducing the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The historic May 4 50th Commemoration Weekend was to include numerous educational events, a benefit concert and panel discussions as well as the traditional candlelight march and vigil.

"It is impossible to replace the very moving and solemn experience of the physical May 4 Commemoration with something that occurs online," said Kent State President Todd Diacon. "However, we knew it was important to remember and honor the events of May 4, 1970, even in the midst of all that was happening in the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We remain committed to the ongoing legacy of May 4, 1970, and look forward to future commemorations and educational initiatives surrounding this important moment in history," Diacon said.

Visitors to the online May 4th Commemoration can also watch a variety of videos, including past speakers, interviews with May 4 survivors, tours of the May 4 Visitors Center and the National Historic Landmark site, and more.

Links to special exhibits on the May 4 Task Force, Jackson State University, the campus strike of 1970 and others will be available for viewing online. Two new online projects, the May 4 Augmented Reality Tour and the Mapping May 4 project, will debut during the online commemoration.

One of the traditions of the annual May 4 commemorations is the candlelight march and vigil in the Prentice Hall parking lot that takes place starting at 11 p.m. on the evening of May 3 and continues to noon on May 4. Since the actual march and vigil are unable to be held this year, Kent State is asking everyone to participate in a virtual candlelight vigil. Information on how people may participate can be found on the May 4 50th Commemoration website.

As part of the 50th Commemoration, Kent State established the May 4 Legacy Scholarships fund. The scholarships are named after each of the four students who perished and will be awarded to students in Kent State's renowned Peace and Conflict Studies program.

To date, $180,000 has been raised for these scholarships. Individuals wishing to make a donation to the new scholarships can donate online through the May 4 50th Commemoration website at www.kent.edu/may4kentstate50.

This story was originally published April 27, 2020 at 4:25 AM with the headline "Kent State to go with virtual events to commemorate 50th anniversary of May 4 shootings."