Douglas Olsen
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 incident, which became known as the Kent State shootings, or the Kent State massacre, occurred when Guardsmen fired 67 rounds over 13 seconds, killing four students and wounding nine others. The students were protesting the expansion of the war into Cambodia by U.S. military forces, as well as the National Guard's presence on campus and the draft. The Kent State shootings sparked the biggest student strike in U.S. history, with over four million students participating in protest activities across the nation.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year | 1970 |
| Date | May 4 |
| Location | Kent State University, Kent, Ohio |
| Number of Students Killed | 4 |
| Names of Students Killed | Allison Krause, Jeffrey Miller, Sandra Lee Scheuer, William Knox Schroeder |
| Number of Students Wounded | 9 |
| Number of National Guard Soldiers Involved | 28 |
| Number of Rounds Fired | 67 |
| Time Period of the Shooting | 13 seconds |
| Type of Protest | Anti-Vietnam War, Opposition to Cambodian Invasion, Protest Against National Guard Presence on Campus and the Draft |
| Previous Incidents of Student Activism at Kent State University | Yes |
| Student Organisations Involved in Activism | Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), Black United Students (BUS) |
| Goals of Student Organisations | Removing Corporate Recruiters from Campus, Abolishing Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), Ending Military-Related Research, Freedom of Speech |
| Government Response | Ohio National Guard Deployed, Curfew Imposed, Martial Law Implied, Rallies Banned |
| Political Fallout | Nationwide Student Strike, Withdrawal of U.S. Troops from Cambodia, Release of Protest Song "Ohio" by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young |
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What You'll Learn
Students protested against the Vietnam War
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 incident, which became known as the Kent State shootings or the Kent State massacre, left a profound impact on the nation and came to symbolise the political and cultural divide in the United States at the time.
In the years leading up to the Kent State shootings, the university had a history of student activism. As early as 1964, a group of 25 Kent State students protested against the Vietnam War, which had not yet escalated. These students were part of the Kent Committee to End the War in Vietnam and engaged in peaceful picketing. By 1968, the student body had become more radicalised, with the establishment of a Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) chapter at Kent State. The SDS sought to drive corporate recruiters off campus, abolish the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), end military-related research, and silence speakers with whom they disagreed.
The direct catalyst for the May 4 protest was President Richard Nixon's announcement on April 30, 1970, of the expansion of the Cambodian campaign. On May 1, two rallies were held at Kent State, with students symbolically burying a copy of the U.S. Constitution, declaring it had been murdered by Nixon. Another anti-war rally was planned for May 4. Despite attempts by university officials to ban the gathering, approximately 3,000 people assembled on campus. The National Guard was present and ordered the protesters to disperse. The details of what happened next are disputed, but the guardsmen opened fire, killing four students and wounding nine others.
The Kent State shootings sparked widespread outrage and prompted the biggest student strike in US history, with over 4 million students participating in protest activities across the nation. The incident also inspired a protest song, "Ohio" by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and a Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph by Kent State photojournalism student John Filo, capturing the anguish of the moment. The legal aftermath of the shootings concluded in January 1979 with an out-of-court settlement, including a monetary payment by the State of Ohio to the victims and their families.
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Four students were killed
On May 4, 1970, four students were shot and killed by the National Guard during an anti-Vietnam War protest at Kent State University in Ohio. The students killed were Allison Krause, Jeffrey Miller, Sandra Scheuer, and William Knox Schroeder. Two of the victims were not involved in the demonstration and were simply walking to class. 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 a few days prior.
The Kent State shootings, also known as the Kent State massacre or May 4 massacre, involved the killing of four and wounding of nine unarmed college students. Twenty-eight National Guard soldiers fired around 67 rounds in 13 seconds. The incident prompted the biggest student strike in US history, with over 4 million students participating in protest activities across the country. The university remained closed for six weeks following the tragedy.
The legal aftermath of the May 4 shootings ended in January 1979 with an out-of-court settlement, including a monetary settlement of $675,000 for the wounded students and the parents of the students who were killed. The statement signed by members of the Ohio National Guard expressed regret but was not seen as an apology or admission of wrongdoing.
The events of May 4, 1970, continue to be a subject of historical reflection and analysis, with literature, music, and photography capturing and preserving the memory of the tragic incident.
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Students were protesting the National Guard presence on campus
On May 4, 1970, four Kent State University students were shot and killed by the Ohio National Guard during an anti-war protest. The Kent State shootings, also known as the Kent State massacre, left a lasting impact and became a defining moment in modern US history.
In the years leading up to the tragic event, Kent State University had a history of student activism. As early as 1964, a small group of students launched a Free Speech Movement, and by 1968, the campus had established a chapter of the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), which advocated for more radical actions. The university's location also played a role in attracting students with a propensity for activism, as it was close to Cleveland, which had a history of union activism and communist leanings.
In the fall of 1968, SDS and Black United Students (BUS) collaborated in a sit-in protest against police recruiters on campus, and in 1969, SDS members clashed with police while attempting to enter the administration building with a list of demands. These early protests set the stage for the anti-war sentiment that would culminate in the tragic events of May 4, 1970.
In the days leading up to the shootings, protests at Kent State University intensified in response to President Nixon's announcement of the invasion of Cambodia. On May 1, two rallies were held at the Commons, with graduate students symbolically burying a copy of the U.S. Constitution, declaring it murdered by Nixon. The second rally, held by BUS, protested police treatment of black students during an earlier demonstration. That night, fuelled by anger and alcohol, some individuals overturned a garbage can, set it on fire, and confronted the police. The situation escalated, with store windows being broken and over a dozen arrests made.
By the early morning of May 2, Kent Mayor Leroy Satrom declared a civil emergency and requested the presence of the Ohio National Guard on campus. Despite attempts by university officials to ban further gatherings, students continued to protest, and on May 4, approximately 3,000 people gathered in the centre of the campus. At midday, the National Guard ordered the protesters to disperse, but the order was ignored, and witnesses reported that rocks were thrown. The guardsmen then fired approximately 67 rounds over 13 seconds, killing four students and wounding nine others.
The Kent State shootings sparked widespread outrage and led to the first nationwide student strike in US history, with over 4 million students participating in protest activities. The incident also prompted soul-searching and efforts to prevent similar tragedies, with the university faculty conducting research, developing alternative forms of protest, and engaging in counselling to help students and themselves heal from the traumatic event.
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The Kent State massacre prompted the first nationwide student strike in US history
On May 4, 1970, the Ohio National Guard shot and killed four unarmed Kent State University students and wounded nine others during an anti-war protest. This incident, known as the Kent State shootings or the Kent State massacre, was a pivotal moment in US history that exposed the political and cultural divisions across the country. The shootings triggered the first nationwide student strike in US history, with over four million students participating in protest activities and hundreds of American colleges and universities closing during the strikes.
In the years leading up to the Kent State massacre, the university had a history of student activism. The student body was predominantly middle-class and apolitical, but there was a minority with a radical bent. In the fall of 1968, the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and Black United Students (BUS) staged a sit-in to protest against police recruiters on campus, and in 1969, SDS members clashed with police while attempting to enter the administration building with a list of demands. Kent State's SDS chapter, established in 1968, was known for its militant stance and desire to drive corporate recruiters off campus, abolish the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), and end military-related research.
Anti-war sentiment was also prevalent at Kent State, with the Kent Committee to End the War in Vietnam engaging in peaceful picketing as early as 1964. In 1968, Kent State activists disrupted a speech by Republican presidential nominee Richard Nixon, shouting obscenities at him. Nixon's announcement of the invasion of Cambodia in 1970 sparked further outrage, with students at Kent State holding rallies and symbolically burying a copy of the US Constitution, declaring it murdered by Nixon.
The immediate catalyst for the Kent State massacre was the decision by university officials to ban a protest scheduled for noon on May 4, 1970. Despite the ban, approximately 3,000 people gathered on campus, and when the National Guard ordered the protesters to disperse, rocks were reportedly thrown. The guardsmen responded by firing 67 rounds over 13 seconds, resulting in the deaths of four students: Allison Krause, Jeffrey Miller, Sandra Lee Scheuer, and William Schroeder.
The shocking images of unarmed students being shot and the iconic photograph of a young woman screaming over Miller's body sparked outrage across the country. The Kent State shootings became a symbol of the political and cultural divide in the US, with students at New York University hanging a banner that read, "They Can't Kill Us All." The protests spread to other campuses, with violent and non-violent demonstrations causing the closure of hundreds of colleges nationwide.
The Kent State massacre marked a turning point in the Vietnam War protests and the broader political climate in the US. The massive student reaction against the shootings led to Nixon's withdrawal of US troops from Cambodia. The killings also prompted a wave of self-reflection and action within the Kent State community, with faculty conducting research, providing counselling, and developing alternative forms of protest and conflict resolution to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
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Students were protesting police treatment of black students
On May 4, 1970, four students were killed and nine wounded by the Ohio National Guard during an anti-war protest at Kent State University. The students were protesting the US military's involvement in the Vietnam War and the killing of unarmed student protesters. The Kent State shootings, also known as the Kent State massacre, symbolised political and cultural divides across the US at the time.
In the years leading up to the Kent State shootings, the university had a history of student activism and protest. In the fall of 1968, the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and Black United Students (BUS) staged a sit-in to protest against police recruiters on campus. Two hundred and fifty black students walked off campus, successfully demanding amnesty for the protesters. The following year, on April 1, 1969, SDS members clashed with police as they attempted to enter the administration building with a list of demands. Four SDS leaders spent six months in prison due to the incident.
On May 3, 1970, nearly 1,000 Ohio National Guardsmen occupied the Kent State campus, giving the impression of a military war zone. The same day, Ohio Governor James Rhodes issued a provocative statement, calling the campus protesters "the worst type of people in America" and threatening to use "every force of law" against them. The widespread assumption was that a state of martial law had been declared, with control of the campus residing with the Guard rather than University leaders, and all rallies banned.
Despite the ban, a protest was scheduled for noon on May 4. Approximately 3,000 people gathered in the centre of the campus, and at midday, the Guardsmen ordered the protesters to disperse. The details of what followed are disputed, but witnesses say rocks were thrown, and the Guardsmen used tear gas to disperse the crowd. The Guardsmen then opened fire, firing 67 rounds over 13 seconds, killing four students and wounding nine others. Two of the dead had not been involved in the demonstration.
The Kent State shootings had a significant impact, prompting the biggest student strike in US history, with over 4 million students participating in protest activities across the nation. The incident also led to widespread campus closures, with more than 400 colleges and universities closing during the strikes. Shaken by the wave of protests, Nixon withdrew US troops from Cambodia. However, public opinion largely sided with the forces of law and order, and Nixon won a landslide reelection in 1972.
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Frequently asked questions
Students at Kent State University were protesting the expanding involvement of the Vietnam War into Cambodia by US military forces, as well as protesting the National Guard presence on campus and the draft.
The Kent State University protests took place on May 4, 1970.
During the protest, 28 National Guard soldiers fired around 67 rounds over 13 seconds, killing four students and wounding nine others, one of whom was left paralysed.
The Kent State University protests led to the first nationwide student strike in US history, with over 4 million students participating in protest activities. The incident also prompted Nixon to withdraw US troops from Cambodia.
Yes, there were several protests at Kent State University before the May 4, 1970, incident. For example, in the fall of 1968, the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and Black United Students staged a sit-in to protest against police recruiters on campus. Additionally, in April 1969, there was a confrontation between supporters and opponents of SDS that led to arrests and prison sentences for some SDS leaders.
