Kent in Portage County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
4 Dead and 9 Wounded
Prentice Hall Parking Lot
| | May 4 National Historic Landmark Site Tour | |
Photographed by Ian Lefkowitz, May 23, 2025
1. 4 Dead and 9 Wounded Marker
Guardsmen firing from the top of Blanket Hill at the Pagoda wounded Joseph J. Lewis, closest at 75 feet away; John R. Cleary, at 110 feet; James Russell, Thomas M. Grace at 163 feet; Alan Canfora at 176 feet, Dean R. Kahler at 258 feet, Douglas Alan Wrentmore at 296 feet, Robert Follis Stamps at 488 feet, and Donald Scott Mackenzie at 603 feet away.
The shootings were unnecessary, unwarranted, and inexcusable. - President Richard Nixon's Commission on Campus Unrest, 1970
Jackson State
Just after midnight on May 15, Mississippi patrolmen and Jackson police kill Phillip Lafayette Gibbs and James Earl Green and wound dozens at Jackson State College. Since 1971, Kent State students have linked the events with the slogan Long live the spirit of Kent and
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Erected 2024 by May 4 Visitors Center. (Marker Number 6.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Law Enforcement • Notable Events • War, Vietnam. A significant historical date for this entry is May 4, 1970.
Location. 41° 9.008′ N, 81° 20.613′ W. Marker is in Kent, Ohio, in Portage County. It is on Midway Drive. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 300 Midway Drive, Kent OH 44243, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Greater Cleveland and in the Western Reserve. It is also in the American Midwest. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Thomas M. Grace 163 ft (here, next to this marker); Alan Canfora 176 ft (a few steps from this marker); Solar Totem #1 (a few steps from this marker); Kent State University (a
Photographed by Ian Lefkowitz, May 23, 2025
2. The Pagoda
The Pagoda, located at the top of Blanket Hill. Ohio National Guardsmen would fire down upon students from this spot.
Also see . . . National Historic Landmark Site Tour.
This outdoor trail is self-guided and available any time the campus grounds are open. It includes seven exhibit panels that take visitors through the events of May 4, 1970. Along the trail that goes around The Commons and Taylor Hall, you will see campus landmarks like the Victory Bell, May 4 Memorial, Solar Totem #1 sculpture, the Pagoda, wounded student markers, and fallen student spaces.(Submitted on June 10, 2025, by Ian Lefkowitz of New York, New York.)
Photographed by Ian Lefkowitz, May 23, 2025
3. 4 Dead and 9 Wounded Marker
The historical marker in situ. The chalking visible in the photo honors two of the students killed during the protest.
Photographed by Ian Lefkowitz, May 23, 2025
4. Prentice Hall Parking Lot
The parking lot at Prentice Hall, where the Ohio National Guardsmen fired. On the right-hand side of the photo is one of the memorials, to Jeffrey Miller. This is also the location where the famous photo taken by student photographer John Filo of Mary Ann Vecchio dropping to her knees over Miller's body took place.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 25, 2025. It was originally submitted on June 10, 2025, by Ian Lefkowitz of New York, New York. This page has been viewed 186 times since then and 44 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on June 10, 2025, by Ian Lefkowitz of New York, New York. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
