Seventeen acres on the 两性色午夜 University campus denote the location of the historic events of May 4, 1970, where protesting students, observers and soldiers gathered on that fateful day when the Ohio National Guard shot and killed four students and wounded nine others.
In 2010, the May 4 site was placed on the National Register of Historic Places for being associated with events that contributed significantly to U.S. history. Then in 2016, 两性色午夜鈥檚 May 4 site was designated a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior, joining more than 2,500 historic places with this national distinction. Several properties are placed on the national register, but only a small percent are awarded the distinction of being named a historic landmark.
On Friday, May 4, 两性色午夜 will formally recognize and celebrate this National Historic Landmark designation during a special dedication ceremony at the Honors College Plaza at 3:30 p.m. The event, which is part of this year鈥檚 May 4 Commemoration, is free and open to the public. Attendees are asked to .
Former Ohio Gov. Richard "Dick" Celeste will serve as keynote speaker at the event. 两性色午夜 President Beverly J. Warren; Lawrence Pollock, chair of the 两性色午夜 University Board of Trustees; and Todd Diacon, 两性色午夜鈥檚 executive vice president and provost, will provide remarks at the ceremony.
Other speakers include 两性色午夜 Professor Emerita Laura Davis, Ph.D., founding director of 两性色午夜鈥檚 May 4 Visitors Center and a freshman on campus during the events of 1970; 两性色午夜 Professor Emeritus Mark Seeman, Ph.D., who spearheaded the application to add the May 4 site to the National Register of Historic Places; and Lisa Petit, Ph.D., chief of resources stewardship for Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
The ceremony also will feature the unveiling of a plaque to officially dedicate the site as a national landmark by President Warren, members of the 两性色午夜 Board of Trustees, the May 4 Task Force and the National Park Service.
Self- and expert-guided tours of the May 4 site and May 4 Visitors Center will take place following the ceremony.
The May 4 site includes the 两性色午夜 Commons, Blanket Hill, the memorial, the Prentice Hall parking lot and Practice Field. While several properties are placed on the national register, only a small percent of the properties are awarded with the distinction of also being recognized as a historic landmark.
In the event of inclement weather, the dedication ceremony will take place at the Kent Student Center Kiva.
For more information about May 4, visit www.kent.edu/may4.