On May 1, 1970, students at Kent State University gathered to protest President Richard Nixon’s expansion of the Vietnam War into Cambodia. On May 2nd, at the request of Kent, Ohio Mayor LeRoy Satrom, Governor James Rhodes ordered the Ohio National Guard onto the Kent State University campus. By May 4th, the confrontation escalated resulting in members of the National Guard firing at unarmed protestors leaving 4 dead and 9 others wounded. Many of us who were close to the ages of those students remember the incident as the Kent State massacre or simply Kent State.

The incident inspired Neil Young to write and perform the anti-war anthem, “Ohio”.

This is what can happen when the National Guard is ordered into confrontation with civilians.

“Ohio” by Neil Young

Tin soldiers and Nixon’s comin’
We’re finally on our own
This summer I hear the drummin’
Four dead in Ohio

Gotta get down to it
Soldiers are gunning us down
Should have been done long ago
What if you knew her and
Found her dead on the ground?
How can you run when you know?

Na-na-na-na, na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na, na-na-na
Na-na-na-na, na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na, na-na-na

Gotta get down to it
Soldiers are cutting us down
Should have been done long ago
What if you knew her and
Found her dead on the ground?
How can you run when you know?

Tin soldiers and Nixon’s comin’
We’re finally on our own
This summer I hear the drummin’
Four dead in Ohio

Four dead in Ohio (four dead)
Four dead in Ohio (four)
Four dead in Ohio (how many?)
Four dead in Ohio (how many more?)

Four dead in Ohio (why?)
Four dead in Ohio (oh)
Four dead in Ohio (four)
Four dead in Ohio (why?)

Four dead in Ohio (why?)
Four dead in Ohio
Four dead in Ohio