To locate audio recordings within the May 4 Collection, see our Subject Index page and scroll to "Audio Recordings." Click on the name of a collection listed to view its corresponding finding aid, which contains more detailed information on contents. Below, we have highlighted collections with significant numbers of audio recordings.
The following collections contain audio footage and recordings that have been digitally captured and are available for online listening. In many cases we hold the original recordings in the Department of Special Collections and Archives for your use, but we encourage you to access these online through the links below for your convenience and to better preserve the originals.
Contains 49 audio recordings made by WKSU news service during the time leading up to and in the months after the shootings.
18 audio recordings made by Carpenter while he was News Director at WKNT, during the time of the Kent State shootings.
Commission on KSU Violence records
Contains over 80 audio recordings including statements made by staff, faculty, and students regarding the events of May 1-4, 1970 and recordings of meetings of the Commission.
Kent State University Police records
This collection includes a small series of audio-visual recordings primarily of rallies, marches, and demonstration events.
WKSU Audio Recordings Related to the Kent State Shootings
Recordings made by and collected by WKSU related to the shootings and their aftermath.
The collections listed below contain audio footage and recordings that you may access in the Reading Room of the Department of Special Collections and Archives. While much of this audio footage in these collections has been digitally captured, we have not yet been able to make it accessible via our digital archive due to permissions, copyright, or other restrictions in place. In 2019-2020 we are engaging in a grant-funded project to help digitally capture additional audio recordings that have not been digitized to date.
For assistance in gaining access to this footage, consult the Department Info page of our website.
Non-Music Sound Recordings Related to the Kent State Shootings
A large collection of audio recordings related to the shootings
In addition to audio footage, the May 4 Collection also includes a collection of musical recordings in some way related to the Kent State shootings. Copyright restrictions prevent us from making most of these available online. To view the contents of this collection, please view the finding aid linked below.
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