Photographs in the May 4 Collection: Restricted photographs

A few of our May 4 photograph collections have duplication restrictions. This simply means that these collections are available for research purposes only and the photographs cannot be photocopied, photographed, scanned, or otherwise duplicated with intent to publish without prior permission from the copyright holder.

If you are seeking images to be used for a published paper, project, website, or other type of publication, we cannot provide duplications for you from the following collections, unless you first secure permission from the relevant copyright holder(s).

However, if your use is for personal research or educational purposes (e.g. use in a student paper), please contact the Department of Special Collections and Archives for assistance with the collections listed below.

The following collections have duplication restrictions:

William Armstrong papers: Box 173

The William Armstrong papers contains black and white photographs from 1970.  Some of the photographs were taken by Howard Ruffner; the source of the other photographs is unknown by Special Collections and Archives at this time. 

Commission on KSU Violence records: Box 201

This box of the Commission on KSU Violence records includes 3 folders of black and white photographs taken on and around May 4, 1970. Two of these folders are restricted for purposes other than personal use until copyright owner status is determined. However, one folder in this box is digitized and contains 4 color Polaroid photographs. 

Kent State Shootings Photographs from Various Sources: Box 109

While some of the photographs in this collection are going to be digitized and made available online in the future, many others have copyright restrictions that prohibit us from publishing them online.

Arthur Krause, et al v. James A. Rhodes, et al., Documents, papers, and photographs: Box 113

This collection contains materials from the Krause vs. Rhodes trial, including photographs in the form of plaintiff exhibits taken on May 4, 1970.

Howard Ruffner papers and photographs: Box 190

The Howard Ruffner collection primarily includes photographs that appeared in Kent State University's 1971 yearbook, the Chestnut Burr.  Many of these photographs can be viewed online in our digitized 1971 Chestnut Burr.

In many cases, the Department of Special Collections and Archives does not own the copyright to its materials. The copyright holder is very often the person that actually took the photograph. It is your own responsibility to secure formal, written permission from the copyright holder if you intend to use his or her work for purposes other than research.