Kent State May 4th Site to Be Dedicated

In 2010, the May 4 site was placed on the National Register of Historic Places, which is comprised of 90,000 locations associated with events that contributed significantly to U.S. history. Then in 2016, Kent State’s May 4 site joined a much more select group as it was designated a National Historic Landmark. Only 2,500 historic places share this national distinction; the May 4 site is one of 76 such locations in Ohio.

As part of the 48th annual May 4 Commemoration, Kent State will formally recognize and celebrate this designation tomorrow  at 3:30 p.m. at the Honors College Plaza. The event is free and open to the public. Attendees are asked to register online. In the event of inclement weather, the dedication ceremony will take place at the Kent Student Center Kiva.

Former Ohio Gov. Richard Celeste will serve as keynote speaker. Kent State President Beverly J. Warren; Lawrence Pollock, chair of the board of trustees; and Todd Diacon, Kent State’s executive vice president and provost, will provide remarks. The ceremony also will feature the unveiling of a plaque to officially dedicate the site as a national landmark.

Tomorrow at 7:30 p.m., journalist Dan Rather will appear at Kent State’s Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center as part of the Presidential Speaker Series. His presentation is in collaboration with Kent State’s College of Communication and Information and coincides with annual May 4 commemoration. The former lead anchor of the CBS Evening News will reflect on his experiences as a journalist, news anchor and multimedia producer.