Allison Krause                  Jeffery Miller               Bill Schroeder               Sandy Scheuer
 

"Inquire, Learn, Reflect."

The May 4 Memorial was dedicated May 4, 1990.

 

Resting on a 2 1/2-acre wooded site overlooking Kent State University's commons, the May 4 Memorial commemorates the events of May 4, 1970, when four students were killed and nine were wounded during an anti-war protest on the Kent Campus.

A progression of four polished black granite disks embedded in the earth lead from the plaza to four free-standing pylons aligned on the hill. The disks reflect our own image as we stand on them; the pylons stand as mute sentinels to the force of violence and the memory of the four students killed.

Constructed of carnelian granite, a stone associated with strength and time, the memorial is surrounded by 58,175 daffodils, the number of the country's losses in Vietnam.

Engraved in the plaza's stone threshold are the words "Inquire, Learn, Reflect." The inscription, agreed upon by the designer and Kent State University, affirms the intent that the memorial site provide visitors an opportunity to inquire into the many reasons and purposes of the events, to encourage a learning process, and to reflect on how differences may be resolved peacefully.
 

Source: "May 4 Memorial (Kent State)", May 4 Collection Kent State University Libraries and Media Services, Department of Special Collections and Archives
 
 

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