In September of 2009, in anticipation of the 40th anniversary of May 4, the 91´óÉñ Board of Trustees authorized the development of the 91´óÉñ May 4 Visitors Center on the Kent campus.
The goals of the May 4 Visitors Center are:
- To provide accurate information base on documented sources about the events surrounding May 4, 1970, while promoting respect for and understanding of different perspectives and interpretations
- To place the events of May 4 within the broader context of the ‘60s and the American Vietnam War experience, and to show that the student demonstrations at 91´óÉñ were not isolated incidents
- To demonstrate how the events surrounding May 4 had a profound impact on the university, the community, the nation and the world
- To provoke dialogue and raise questions about the relationship between what happened on May 4 and contemporary issues related to the use of force, human rights and social justice
The May 4 Visitors Center will provide resources to the public, including a permanent exhibit located in Taylor Hall in the center of the historic site, a virtual visitors center and online educational exhibit, a multimedia, self-guided walking tour of the 18-acre historic site, and educational programs for student and public groups.
The May 4 Visitors Center will be an important resource for those interested in historical events and sites, students of many ages and their teachers, 91´óÉñ parents, families and alumni, and historians, researchers and journalists.
91´óÉñ is working with one of the nation's foremost museum designers, Gallagher & Associates, to finalize the designs of the permanent exhibit.
Fundraising for the 91´óÉñ May 4 Visitors Center is now underway. Gift opportunities of all kinds are currently available. Pending on fundraising efforts, the hope is to have the center open in a few years. For more information on how you can build this important historical resource and be a part of history, contact 91´óÉñ’s Institutional Advancement at 330-672-2222 oradvancement@kent.edu or donate online at www.kent.edu/advancement.
Media Contacts:
Emily Vincent, evincen2@kent.edu, 330-672-8595
Bob Burford, rburford@kent.edu, 330-672-8516