A refreshed May 4 National Historic Landmark Site Tour will premiere during the 2024 May 4 commemoration this weekend. The outdoor tour signs, which debuted in 2010 during the 40th commemoration, allow Kent State visitors to trace the steps of history of the events of May 4, 1970, through text, video, image, and narration. Written by May 4 Visitors Center founders Laura Davis and Carole Barbato and initially designed by David Middleton, the tour signage includes historic photographs that connect visitors to the activities that took place on the site before, during, and after the protests, which resulted in the Ohio National Guard killing four students and injuring nine.
The refresh of the signs allows for clear, crisp photographs and a bold graphic identity that matches the May 4 Visitors Center, while sticking closely to the original narrative. The new tour also enhances the visitor experience with concrete pads that enable visitors to move off crowded walkways to view the rich content and will extend the signs’ longevity by keeping them clear of collisions with snowplows and mowers. A welcome sign with a large map and QR codes increases visitor engagement, allowing them to connect to the tour’s original film by Steve Zapytowski with narration by civil rights leader Julian Bond.
Due to long lead time for delivery of replacement granite panels from South Dakota, repairs to the May 4 Memorial could not be completed in time for the weekend. The panels now are in the mason’s yard awaiting installation after the commemoration events conclude.
