Janice Lozano
On May 4, 1970, four students were shot and killed by the Ohio National Guard during a protest against the Vietnam War at Kent State University in Ohio. The incident, known as the Kent State shootings, occurred after President Nixon announced the invasion of Cambodia, widening the scope of the Vietnam War. The Kent State shootings triggered the largest student strike in US history, with more than 4 million students participating in organized walk-outs at universities, colleges, and high schools. It also symbolized the deep political and social divisions in the country during the Vietnam War era.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the incident | Kent State shootings, Kent State massacre, or May 4 massacre |
| Date | May 4, 1970 |
| University | Kent State University |
| Location | Kent, Ohio, United States |
| Number of students killed | 4 |
| Names of the students killed | Allison Krause, Jeffrey Miller, Sandra Lee Scheuer, William Schroeder |
| Number of students wounded | 9 |
| Number of National Guardsmen who fired | 28 |
| Number of rounds fired | 67 |
| Time taken to fire the rounds | 13 seconds |
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What You'll Learn
The Kent State shootings
On May 4, 1970, members of the Ohio National Guard opened fire on a crowd of demonstrators at Kent State University, killing four and wounding nine unarmed college students. This incident, also known as the Kent State massacre or the May 4 massacre, marked a pivotal moment in the anti-Vietnam War movement in the United States.
In the lead-up to the shootings, Kent State University had become a hotbed of political activism. The university, nestled in the rolling hills of Kent, Ohio, was founded in 1910 and had approximately 20,000 students in 1970. From 1965 to 1970, more than ten organizations at the university actively engaged in anti-war and civil rights campaigns. On April 30, 1970, President Richard Nixon announced the invasion of Cambodia, triggering protests across college campuses, including Kent State.
On May 1, an anti-war rally was held at the university's Commons, a grassy area traditionally used for rallies and demonstrations. As the crowd dispersed, student leaders called for another rally on May 4 to continue protesting the expansion of the Vietnam War into Cambodia and the National Guard presence on campus. Despite attempts by university officials to prohibit the May 4 rally, a large crowd gathered, with estimates ranging from 2,500 to 3,000 people.
At around noon, 28 National Guard soldiers fired approximately 67 rounds in 13 seconds, killing four students: Allison Krause (19), Jeffrey Miller (20), Sandra Lee Scheuer (20), and William Schroeder (19). Nine others were wounded, one of whom suffered permanent paralysis. The impact of the shootings was immediate and far-reaching, triggering a nationwide student strike and prompting outrage on campuses across the country. More than 4 million students participated in organized walkouts at universities, colleges, and high schools.
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The impact of the shootings
On May 4, 1970, members of the Ohio National Guard opened fire on a crowd of Kent State University demonstrators, killing four and wounding nine. The Kent State shootings, also known as the Kent State massacre or May 4 massacre, had a profound and far-reaching impact that extended beyond the university campus.
Political Impact
The shootings had a significant impact on national politics and the Nixon administration. H. R. Haldeman, a top aide to President Richard Nixon, suggested that the shootings contributed to the slide into Watergate and the eventual downfall of the Nixon administration. The shootings highlighted the deep political and social divisions in the country during the Vietnam War era.
Social and Cultural Impact
The Kent State shootings triggered a nationwide student strike, with more than 4 million students participating in organised walk-outs at universities, colleges, and high schools. The strike forced hundreds of institutions to close and affected public opinion about the Vietnam War. The iconic photograph of a young woman screaming over the body of a slain student, Jeffrey Miller, captured by photojournalism student John Filo, became a enduring symbol of the political and cultural divide in the US at the time.
Legal Aftermath
The legal aftermath of the shootings concluded in January 1979 with an out-of-court settlement, including a monetary payment of $675,000 to the wounded students and the families of those killed. While no individual guardsmen were held financially responsible, the state of Ohio provided the compensation. Eight of the shooters were charged with depriving the students of their civil rights but were acquitted in a bench trial.
Memorialisation
The site of the shootings at Kent State University has been memorialised with various markers and dedications. In 2004, a stone memorial was erected at Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy High School, which Jeffrey Miller had attended. On the campus of Kent State University, a memorial service was held in 2007 for James Russell, one of the wounded who died in 2007 of a heart attack. The annual commemorations of the shootings include remembrances from those who were present, including surviving students, faculty members, and photographers.
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The victims
On May 4, 1970, four Kent State University students were shot and killed by the Ohio National Guard during an anti-Vietnam War protest. The four victims were Allison Krause, Jeffrey Miller, Sandra Lee Scheuer (or Sandra Scheuer), and William Knox Schroeder (or William Schroeder). Krause and Miller were among the more than 300 students who had gathered to protest the expansion of the Vietnam War into Cambodia. Scheuer and Schroeder were observing the protest during a break between their classes. The students killed were among a crowd of approximately 3,000 people, including demonstrators, cheerleaders, and spectators. Twenty-eight National Guard soldiers fired about 67 rounds over 13 seconds, killing four students and wounding nine others, one of whom suffered permanent paralysis.
The Kent State shootings, also known as the Kent State massacre or the May 4 massacre, were a seminal event in the anti-Vietnam War movement in the United States. The incident symbolised the deep political and cultural divisions across the country during the Vietnam War era. The shootings triggered immediate outrage and massive student strikes, with more than 4 million students participating in organised walk-outs at hundreds of universities, colleges, and high schools. The iconic photograph of a young woman screaming as she knelt over the body of Jeffrey Miller was published across the national press and came to symbolise the political and cultural divide.
The protests at Kent State University were part of a wave of student protests against the Vietnam War that swept college campuses across the United States in the spring of 1970. These protests were sparked by President Nixon's announcement in April 1970 that the United States was invading Cambodia to fight the Viet Cong, widening the country's involvement in the Vietnam War. Kent State University had a well-established activist presence, with more than 10 organisations involved in anti-war and civil rights activism from 1965 to 1970. The university's location in northeastern Ohio also meant that many of its students in 1970 were first-generation college students from working-class families.
The impact of the Kent State shootings extended beyond the immediate aftermath. Eight of the shooters were charged with depriving the students of their civil rights but were acquitted in a bench trial. The trial judge emphasised that the decision should not be interpreted as authorising the use of force against demonstrators. H. R. Haldeman, a top aide to President Nixon, suggested that the shootings had a direct impact on national politics, contributing to the slide into Watergate and the eventual downfall of the Nixon administration.
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The perpetrators
On May 4, 1970, four Kent State University students were killed by members of the Ohio National Guard. The students were protesting the US military's involvement in Cambodia during the Vietnam War, as well as the National Guard's presence on campus and the draft. Twenty-eight National Guard soldiers fired around 67 rounds in 13 seconds, killing four students and wounding nine others. One of the wounded suffered permanent paralysis.
The four students who died were Allison Krause, Jeffrey Miller, and Sandra Lee Scheuer, who died on the scene, and William Schroeder, who was pronounced dead at Robinson Memorial Hospital in Ravenna shortly afterward. Krause and Miller were among more than 300 students who gathered to protest the expansion of the Cambodian campaign, which President Richard Nixon had announced on April 30, 1970.
The National Guard had been confronted by around 2,000 protestors and were on the receiving end of thrown rocks. However, there is debate about whether the soldiers were provoked. A Gallup poll taken the day after the shootings found that 58% of respondents blamed the students, 11% blamed the National Guard, and 31% had no opinion. Eight of the shooters were charged with depriving the students of their civil rights but were acquitted in a bench trial.
The legal aftermath of the shootings ended in January 1979 with an out-of-court settlement, including a monetary settlement of $675,000 paid by the State of Ohio to the wounded students and the parents of the students who had been killed. The statement signed by members of the Ohio National Guard expressed regret but was not considered an apology or admission of wrongdoing. The report from the President's Commission on Campus Unrest, established by Nixon after the killings, concluded that the Ohio National Guard shootings were unjustified, even if the guardsmen faced danger, it did not warrant lethal force.
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The lead-up to the protest
The lead-up to the Kent State University protest that resulted in four students being killed began with the election of President Richard Nixon in 1968. Nixon had based his campaign in part on a promise to bring an end to the Vietnam War. However, in April 1970, Nixon announced that the United States was invading Cambodia, thus widening the war effort. This announcement triggered protests across college campuses in the United States, including at Kent State University.
On May 1, 1970, an anti-war rally was held at Kent State University, with approximately 500 students in attendance. This rally was held in response to Nixon's announcement of the Cambodian invasion and as a protest against the expansion of the Vietnam War. The rally took place on the Commons, a grassy area in the middle of the campus that had traditionally been used for various types of rallies and demonstrations. During this first rally, student protest leaders called for another rally to be held on Monday, May 4.
On the morning of May 4, university officials attempted to inform the campus that the rally was prohibited. However, a crowd of approximately 3,000 people gathered in the Commons area by noon. The crowd included core demonstrators, cheerleaders supporting the active demonstrators, and spectators. Across from the crowd stood about 100 Ohio National Guardsmen carrying lethal military rifles.
The active participants in the rally were primarily protesting the presence of the National Guard on campus and the expanding involvement of the United States in the Vietnam War. They were also protesting the draft, which had become a target of student protests across the country. The details of what happened next are disputed, but witnesses say that rocks were thrown, and after a series of standoffs, the National Guard troops fired live rounds into the crowd.
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Frequently asked questions
Kent State University.
On May 4, 1970.
Allison Krause, Jeffrey Miller, Sandra Lee Scheuer, and William Schroeder.
The protests were against the expansion of the Vietnam War into Cambodia, the presence of the National Guard on campus, and the draft.
