The slain student in this historic photo was a former MSU student.
It was on May 4, 1970 when the event known as the 'Kent State Massacre' took place.

Students were protesting the Vietnam war spilling into Cambodia and the U.S. involvement. It was called a peace rally but after 4 days of student unrest and some rioting, the Ohio National Guard ended up firing almost 70 rounds of ammunition. Out of approximately 300 students at the rally, 13 were shot and four were killed.

Among the four dead students was Jeffrey Miller, a former MSU student, who had transferred to Kent State just four months earlier. The iconic, Pulitzer Prize-winning photo seen above shows 14-year-old Mary Ann Vecchio kneeling next to the slain body of Miller.

According to cincinnati.com, “In 1968, (Jeffrey) followed his big brother to Michigan State University and even joined his fraternity, Phi Kappa Tau. He studied architecture, played it straight, and dressed in buttoned-down shirts and slacks”.

The article continued, “In August, Jeff joined 400,000 other young people at music festival Woodstock.....When he went back to Michigan State in the fall, he quit the fraternity, and changed his major to psychology".

After MSU's winter break, Miller decided to move on, since his brother had graduated from MSU and wasn't around anymore. Jeffrey decided to transfer to Kent State in early 1970.

On April 30, President Nixon announced the Cambodia involvement.

May 1, protests and demonstrations began at Kent State. As nighttime approached, some rioting occurred, with broken windows, a street fire, and objects being thrown at police.

May 2, more protests and the National Guard was brought in.

May 3, some cleanup was attempted, but eventually more vandalism took place, with the National Guard dispensing tear gas.

Monday, May 4, a planned protest began at noon on campus. After students began throwing tear gas back at the soldiers, they were chased out of the area...at 12:24 pm the shots were fired and four students lay dead.

On the heels of this event, around four million college students throughout the country went on strike and walked out of classes and off campus.

There is much, much more to this historic event, and you can read all about it HERE. In reading this, you may see the similarities of what's going on in our country now.....over fifty years later.....

KENT STATE, 1970

The Notorious Conwoman of Menominee

Malcolm X's Life In Lansing

A Michigan Woman's 'Fatal Attraction'

Michigan's Biggest Bank Robbery

Nellie Pope, Detroit Axe Murderess

Enter your number to get our free mobile app

 

 

More From 1240 WJIM AM