Sat Jul 31 2010
The scene of the events that earned Kent State University and the city of Kent a place in the history books is moving closer to formal recognition as a national historic site.
The area on the Kent State campus where four students were killed and nine others were wounded in the aftermath of an anti-war protest on May 4, 1970, has been nominated for the National Register of Historic Places.
The National Park Service will make the final decision on inclusion of the Kent State site following a review at the state level.
The passing of nearly 40 years hasn't lessened the controversy over the events of May 4, 1970, but there is no question that what occurred in Kent on that spring day is part of American history. Inclusion of the May 4 site on the National Register of Historic Places is appropriate.
There are 45 properties and districts in Portage County now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including nine sites in Kent. Listings in Kent range from landmarks such as the Kent homestead, now the Masonic Center, and the original Kent State Normal School campus to lesser-known sites such as the old Kent Jail, which has been moved from its original location, and the Benjamin Hopkins House, which was dismantled and removed from Standing Rock Cemetery.
The May 4 site, which includes the location of the shootings as well as the Commons area and its surroundings, has more historic significance than several of the Kent sites now listed on the Register. It is unquestionably the only site that is nationally known.
Kent State, to its credit, appears to be coming to terms with the lasting historic significance of the May 4 site. A visitors' center is being planned for a Taylor Hall site overlooking the Commons. A walking tour of the area also is in the works. The nomination for the National Register was a combined effort by four faculty members.
That's a far cry from the attitude that seemed to prevail among some at Kent State in the aftermath of May 4, when a portion of the site was willfully destroyed by the construction of the Memorial Gym Annex in 1977. While National Register status will not prevent changes to the site, it may help prevent it from being further compromised.
There undoubtedly are some who will question why Kent State is pursuing historic status for this area. To them, we reply that this isn't about "celebrating" May 4, 1970 or lionizing those who protested or were shot that day. It's about acknowledging history and, hopefully, learning from it.
We support the Kent State nomination and look forward to designation of the May 4 site as a national historic site.
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