KENT MAY 4 CENTER

KENT STATE/MAY 4 CHRONOLOGY--TWO DECADES OF INSENSITIVITY

May 4, 1970--Ohio National Guard murders 4 KSU students.
--Grand Jury indicts "Kent 25"; blames victims.
--Pres. Richard Nixon blocks federal grand jury.

1971--"Kent 25" indictments dismissed.
--Glenn Olds becomes KSU President.
--KSU students demand federal grand jury in petition.

1974--US Supreme Court clears way for KSU victims' lawsuit.

1975--KSU victims' lose 14 week civil trial by 9-3 verdict.
--KSU administration ceases annual May 4 commemorations.
--KSU student gov't forms May 4 Task Force educ. org.

1976--KSU refuses M4TF request to rename 4 buildings.

1977--KSU pursues plan to build gym on May 4 site.
--6 month anti-gym protest yields over 300 arrests.

1978--KSU completes gym; May 4 site partially destroyed.
--KSU reneges on promise of memorial scholarships and the
closing of Prentice Hall parking lot where 4 died.
--KSU offered donation of $150,000 "Abraham & Isaac"
memorial sculpture by George Segal.

1979--KSU refuses biblical Segal sculpture ("too violent").
--May 4 victims' families win out-of-court settlement.

1980--May 4 Task Force & KSU victims' families begin new
campaign for a "permanent & proper memorial".

1982--Michael Schwartz becomes KSU President.

1984--KSU committee recommends May 4 Memorial.

1985--KSU trustees approve May 4 Memorial proposal.
--national Memorial design competition; 698 entries.

1986--Bruno Ast's design selected as winning memorial design:
70-ft. square plaza with 13 surrounding pillars.
--American Legion denounces "memorial to terrorists".
--KSU President Schwartz' administration responds to
conservative pressure: memorial fund-raising campaign
purposely restricted (no fund-raisers hired, no fund-
raising committee formed, no public fund campaign).

1987--M4TF, families & supporters object to KSU "campaign".

1988--KSU trustees & Schwartz administration reduce Memorial
from $1,300,000 to $100,000 (a 93% reduction); public
is blamed for "lack of support".
--Memorial supporters blast KSU administration attempt to
blame public & minimize KSU students lives & deaths.

1989--Schwartz administration & trustees approve new May 4
Memorial design (7% of original design).
--Memorial supporters campaign for full memorial.

1990--President Schwartz resigns under pressure; Schwartz
promotes propaganda campaign ($49,000 for full-page
ads in 11 Ohio newspapers, finally grants 4 memorial
scholarships, etc.) prior to 20th commemoration.
--Students plan 20th commemoration, march & conference.

--Memorial supporters announce May 4 1990 demonstration
during 11am KSU "mini-memorial" dedication event;
demands include: full memorial construction, 4 names
inclusion on memorial, improve "living memorial",
re-open memorial process, and include memorial
supporters in new process.

KENT MAY 4 CENTER

Educational Goals
of the Kent May 4 Center

The Kent May 4 Center intends to offer educational services and materials to students, researchers, educators, the news media, the general public and government and law enforcement officials. Our educational goals include a focus upon:

1) a significant and proper memorial in Kent, Ohio, in memory of the student victims of excessive force;

2) a defense of the human and civil rights of students and other citizens who exercise their freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and freedom to dissent;

3) educational materials concerning the deaths of students in the past at Kent State University, Orangeburg College, Jackson State University, Southern University, the University of Kansas and elsewhere during campus confrontations;

4) the wrongfulness of excessive force during situations of unrest or confrontation on our campuses or in our cities;

5) non-violent resolution of future conflicts with a hope to prevent future tragedies borne of excessive force;

6) encouragement of non-violent student activism in pursuit of positive social change;

7) increased awareness of the longstanding American tradition of student activism to promote positive social change from the colonial era to the present;

8) the positive and negative lessons of correct and incorrect tactics and strategies of American student activists so that past errors of judgment may not be repeated;

9) the creation of scholarships for Kent State University students who promote our educational goals; and

10) consultative services to students, citizens and law enforcement officials before, during or after campus or civil unrest.

To further these goals, we intend to establish an educational facility--the Kent May 4 Center, in Kent, Ohio. Our educational center, guided by a dedicated staff, seeks to provide a broad range of educational materials and services.

For further information or to offer tax-deductible contributions, write: Kent May 4 Center, Box 3313, Kent, OH, 44240 or call Alan Canfora, KM4C Director, at (216)745-1097.