About

The Making Meaning of May 4 web site provides resources for educators to use to

• promote understanding of the Kent State shootings on May 4, 1970,
• enhance humanities education across the disciplines, and
• demonstrate the meaning of May 4 for today.

Explore the site to find

• sample teaching plans developed by sixty-nine K–12 educators from throughout the United States 
• chronologies, maps, teaching handouts
• what happened on May 4—recommended readings and videos
• pointers to primary & context sources—the sixties, May 4 & Vietnam War literature, oral histories, guardsmen’s accounts, student activism now
• an examination of the place of the Kent State shootings on the arc of American history
• connections among Kent State—SC State Univ., Orangeburg—Jackson State
• quick links to more than 50,000 digital May 4 resources
• how to visit the May 4 site, museum, and archives with students
• and more . . .

Hear educators describe available resources for teaching about the Kent State Shootings and how they will make meaning of May 4 with students:

• "I hadn’t anticipated how fantastic the participants’ [teaching] plans would be. I thought I would learn a lot about May 4th that would enhance my teaching and scholarship, but I also got so many ideas from fellow teachers. It was a delightful surprise bonus."
• "I plan to use the details and the ideas of multiple truths, is dissent a crime and archival research into my American Government and Social Revolutions classes. I will also be using the music and poetry lessons . . . I can apply what I learned to other topics."
• "Ironically, it took coming to . . . Kent State to learn about the Jackson St. and Orangeburg Massacres. These similar events are less well-known and provide a broader context for the events of May 4."
• "I plan to connect May 4 to my school’s curriculum for historical knowledge as well as to help my students understand the social and relational dynamics of May 4 in relation to current social justice causes in America."
• "Access to first-hand accounts and quality resources will definitely enhance my teaching of this topic."
• "Hearing the personal stories of those who were there on May 4, 1970, was both thought-provoking and heart wrenching."
• "Tremendous content and I will be able to share it with my students and colleagues! It expanded my content for my lessons!"
• "I will take the baton that has been passed to me and ensure that my students learn and continue to ask questions about not just the shootings at Kent State, but all of history. History is never done and the pursuit of "truth" can be complicated."

Understand the past, shape the future. Be the change . . .

Contact Us

330-672-0625
may4neh@kent.edu

404 White Hall
PO Box 5190
Kent, OH 44242-0001