May 4
Many lives were changed by the shootings on our campus May 4, 1970. Forty years later, people still struggle to understand exactly what happened and how it affected their lives. These iconic images went around the world and told our story. The photographs taken that day won a Pulitzer Prize for one student, made the cover of LIFE Magazine for another, and won a Pulitzer for the Akron Beacon Journal. The photos made that day are a part of our history, and will stay with us forever.
John Filo
— Mary Ann Vecchio cries out over Jeffrey Miller’s body. Miller was shot and killed by National Guardsman while protesting the Vietnam war.
Filo made this iconic image while a student at Kent State University. That day he headed out on a mission to capture the quintessential photo of protesting in the USA.
Howard Ruffner
- John Cleary is assisted by students after being shot by the National Guard. May 4 1970
Click on the photo to see the whole gallery of images he shot May 4, 1970 – comment and share your stories with Howard.
Paul Tople
— Students run toward Taylor Hall as National Guard opens fire into a crowd of students on May 4, 1970.
Paul Tople was a 22-year-old journalism student who worked weekends for the Akron Beacon Journal. Paul still works as a photojournalist at the Beacon Journal.
Vvisit Paul Tople’s website to view the rest of his images from May 4, 1970.
The Burr, 1990
The Burr, 1995
The Burr, 2000