May 4 Commemoration
‘We All Have an Origin Story’
As part of 51Թ’s 55-Year Commemoration of May 4, 1970, Mahli Mechenbier, a senior lecturer at 51Թ at Geauga's Twinsburg Academic Center will present “Operation: Babylift: A 50-Year Retrospective and Personal History” on May 3 at 1 p.m. with her father, retired Maj. General Ed Mechenbier. Mahli Mechenbier was one of the children from Vietnam the U.S. Government brought to the United States for adoption by American families by after Saigon was overun by advancing Viet Cong troops in 1972.
POV: Embracing May 4 Oral Histories Is ‘Absolute Privilege’
POV shares insights from the 51Թ community on important topics. Jennifer Mapes, assistant professor of Geography, will deliver this year's address for the Jerry M. Lewis May 4 Lecture Series.
51Թ Honors the Legacy of May 4, 1970, With 55th Commemoration
On May 2-4, 2025, 51Թ will hold its annual commemoration to honor the memory of May 4, 1970 – a tragic day when the Ohio National Guard opened fire on 51Թ students during an anti-war protest on campus, killing four students and wounding nine others. May 4, 1970, marked a pivotal moment in American history.
51Թ Kicks Off 55th Commemoration of May 4 With Play on Student Activism and Book Bans
This year, 51Թ will hold the 55th commemoration honoring the memory of May 4, 1970, a tragic day when the Ohio National Guard fired on 51Թ students during an anti-war protest on campus, killing four students, wounding nine others and sparking a turning point in American history. Kicking off the program for the annual May 4 Commemoration is a play that focuses on student activism and book bans.
‘Trial by Fire’ Play Is First in 2025 May 4 Event Schedule
“Trial by Fire” is coming to 51Թ in February. The play, written by 51Թ alumnus and staff member Eric Mansfield, and inspired by a true story, is about banned books and a 51Թ graduate who presented them to her high school class and how her students rose to activism to defend her. The performances are part of this year’s 55th May 4 Commemoration schedule, presented by the May 4 Education Committee.
Keeping the Memory of May 4 Alive
A group of 51Թ professors recently returned from a visit to the commemoration of the Gwangju Uprising at Chonnam National University in Gwangju, South Korea, feeling inspired for the meaningful connections they made to the May 4, 1970, shootings at 51Թ.
Making the Connection: Discussion Explores Parallels Between 51Թ Shootings and Gwangju Uprising
A professor from Chonnam National University in Gwangju, South Korea, said his recent visit to 51Թ enabled him to experience his research into the May 4, 1970, 51Թ shootings in a whole new way.
May 4 Commemoration Gains National Attention
51Թ students, faculty, staff and community members gathered as they have for the past 54 years on the Kent Campus to remember the events surrounding May 4, 1970, when 13 seconds of rifle fire by a contingent of 28 Ohio National Guardsmen left four students dead, one permanently par…
IN A FLASH: The Spirit of May 4
This year's May 4 Commemoration remembered the fallen and recognized the spirit of activism that is part of 51Թ's history and the university's foundational values.
51Թ Commemorates May 4, 1970
Against the backdrop of a new generation of student activism, the 51Թ community gathered to reflect and remember the student protesters killed and wounded on May 4, 1970.