Kent State marks 55 years since May 4 shootings with emotional tribute

Kent State University paused Sunday to reflect on one of the darkest days in American history — the May 4, 1970 shooting that left four students dead and nine others wounded during an anti-Vietnam War protest. This year marked 55 years since that tragedy, and members of the campus community, along with visitors and survivors, gathered at the site to honor its legacy.

The event began with “Music on the Commons” and continued with remarks from university leaders, student organizers, and faculty. At 12:24 p.m., the exact time gunfire broke out in 1970, the Victory Bell rang 13 times — once for each student shot.

“It’s important because it has affected so many people who are still alive today and people who will be alive in the decades to come,” said Sophie Swengel, a junior and the chair of the May 4 Task Force. “That’s a message that resonates eternally. That’s something that everyone should care about, because it affects all of us. And unites all of us.”

For Swengel, who helped organize the event, May 4 is more than a history lesson — it’s a living, breathing movement that connects generations through grief, memory, and purpose.

University President Todd Diacon praised the students and staff who help make the annual event possible. “It all takes place because we have a wonderful student May 4 Task Force. We have wonderful faculty and staff that make this happen,” he said.

Attendee Ray Gianni, who is currently taking a course on May 4 history, said being on the campus grounds during the commemoration brought a new level of understanding.
“I think coming here every year validates that this is valuable,” he said. “It’s an important part of the American history… We’ve got to actually build a positive peace. We got to be peace loving in order for peace to come for our next generation and the generation after that.”

This year’s ceremony also acknowledged the wounded students at Jackson State University, where a similar shooting occurred just 11 days after Kent State.

As the sound of the bell echoed across the Commons, the message was clear — the memory of May 4 lives on, not just in history books, but in the voices of those committed to preserving its lessons.