May 4 Banners and Posters collection

May 4 Collection -- Boxes 128, 128A

Finding Aid

Prepared by Jennifer Schrager, September 16, 1999. Updated by Penny White, 2013; Last Update: June 2022

Inclusive Dates: 1969-2021
Extent: 2.5 cubic feet (1 flat oversized box and 39 oversized folders)
Physical Location: 11th and 12th floors

Scope and Content: This collection contains banners and posters associated with the student protest/anti-war movement and the Kent State shootings and their aftermath.

Related Material: See also May 4 Collection - Boxes 117 and 117A for posters from the annual May 4 commemorations, including the Symposium on Democracy.

May 4 Collection -- Box 128 -- Banners

1. Banner -- "NO WAR - Kent State Students United." NOTE: White canvas with black and orange lettering. Unidentified Source.
2. Banner -- "CIA: GET OFF OF CAMPUS! STAY OFF OF CAMPUS!" NOTE: Banner contains more text including reasons to oppose the CIA and a list of governments they have overthrown. Beige vinyl tablecloth with multicolored lettering. Unidentified Source.
3. Banner -- "US OUT OF GULF" NOTE: White cloth with brown lettering. Unidentified Source.
4. Banner -- "PROGRESSIVE STUDENT NETWORK. NEVER FORGET. NEVER FORGET. BUILD A REAL MEMORIAL." NOTE: White cloth with red and gray stripes outlining white letters.

May 4 Collection -- Box 128A -- Posters

Physical Location: Shelved in map case.

1. Poster -- "Boston Mar. 5, 1770, The Bloody Massacre perpetrated in King Street, Boston on March 5th, 1770 by a party of the 29th REGt" [at top of poster]; "Kent State May 4, 1970" [at bottom of poster], Published by SBS Creative Designs, May 12, 1970 (3 copies)
   Physical Location: This poster is very large and is shelved in oversized map case.
2. Poster -- "May 4 Rally; Ellsberg, Fonda, Julian Bond, Ron Kovic, Sokim Hing, Dean Kahler, Judy Collins, Holly Near; Will Sing," undated
3. Poster -- "Fyke Wanted," undated
4. Poster -- "No Mohr Fyke, Fyke Off, Rally: Tuesday noon on the commons," undated
5. Poster -- "6 Dead on University Campuses!" Emerson College Kent State/Jackson State 20 Year Retrospective, March 30-31, 1990"
6. Poster -- "Kent State Requiem, Saturday March 31, 1990," Emerson College
7. Poster -- "1970-1990 Jackson State and Kent State Commemorative Conference, May 5-6 1990 Kent State University," 1990  (2 copies)
8. Poster -- "25 Year Retrospective of Kent State and Jackson State," presented by Emerson College, April 23-24, 1995
9. Poster -- "Remember Kent State, Resist the Draft Conference," By the Kent Committee Against Registration and the Draft, October 6, 1979
10. Poster -- "Carry on the spirit of Kent State and Jackson State! Build a Young Communist Organization!" Program: Alan Canfora, Ed Whitfield and RSB Speaker. Organized by the Revolutionary Student Brigade. November 10, no year
11. Poster -- "China's New Long March, a slideshow and forum by recent visitors to Socialist China." Speakers: Dr. Jerry Carr, Jane Bratnober and Alan Canfora. Sponsor: Revolutionary Student Brigade. February 8, 1979
12. Poster -- "National Convention to carry on the spirit of Kent and Jackson State!" Ashland, Ohio, November 19-20, no year 
13. Poster -- "Avenge." In red ink over John Filo photograph taken May 4, 1970. Bottom of poster Revolutionary Student Brigade, 1978
14. Poster -- "May 4 For the murders they commit and the wars they wage, Imperialism will know no peace!" Revolutionary Communist Youth Brigade 1979
15. Poster -- "April 12,: Armband Day, minorities and whites unite to smash the Bakke decision!" Revolutionary Communist Youth Brigade, April, 1978
16. Poster -- "The future is ours, all out for the Youth Conference '77." Boston State College, Communist Youth Organization, October 22-24, 1977 (2 copies)
17. Poster -- "1980 Spring Activities," 1980 
    Acquisitions Information: Donated by Herb and Charlotte Goldsmith.
18. Poster -- Jesus Christ "Wanted" poster, name at bottom Art Young, stamped on back, October 21, 1970
19. Poster -- "SDS Reunion and Symposium on Student Activism, undated
20. Poster -- "Condemn the Shah's U.S. visit ." Washington D.C. and San Francisco, Iranian Students Association, November 15-16, no year
21. Poster -- "African Liberation Day," African Liberation Day Coalition, May 27, no year
22. Poster -- "African Liberation Day," African Liberation Day Coalition, May 27, no year
23. Poster -- "The Serpent, A Dramatic Ceremony" by Jean-Claude Van Itallie, April 21,22, 28-29, 1995
24. Poster -- "The Dance Alloy/May 4th Dance/Theater," Artistic director Mark Taylor, April 29, 1995 (2 copies)
25. Poster -- "May 4th Memorial Benefit concert at JB's Down," May 5, no year
26. Poster -- "National Moratorium Day May 4, Remember Kent and Jackson State," undated
    Acquisitions Information: Donated by Howard Ruffner.
27. Poster -- "Buttons of the Cause: The Events, The People, The Organizations, The Issues 1960-2003." Compiled and published by Al Feldstein, 2003.
    Scope and Content: This poster features many buttons related to Kent State and the Vietnam War protest movement.
28. Poster -- "Artists for Justice: A Benefit on Behalf of the Victims of Kent and Jackson State," May 13, no year
29. Poster -- "Love or Hate? It is your choice," May 26, 1970
30. Poster -- "May." Kent State University School of Art invitational exhibit, "Dedicated as a memorial to May 4, 1970," April, no year (possibly 1971)
31. Poster -- "The Vietnam War is not something to be won or lost..." Kent State Veterans Against the War, undated
32. Poster -- "Join the New Action Army; Demonstrate with GI's; Bring the Troops Home Now," Student Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam, April, 1969(?)
33. Poster -- "The Fall Anti-War Offensive in On..." National Moratorium, March on Washington, November 15, Student Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam, 1969
34. Poster -- "National Student AntiWar Conference," Cleveland, Ohio, Student Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam, February 1970
35. Poster -- "Bring the Troops Home Now," Student Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam, undated
36. Poster -- "Talk is cheap. The war is not over until all the GI's are brought home alive," Student Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam, undated
37. Poster -- Women's Strike for Peace, undated
38. Poster -- W. E. B. Dubois Clubs of America "Stop the Draft," undated
39. Poster -- "Jackson State, Kent State, 10 Years Later. National Student Day," United States Student Association, May 4, 1980
40. Poster -- "Celebrity & Spectacle: The Making of a Media Event," Center for Ethics in Political and Health Communication, Emerson College, October 27, 2000
    Scope and Content: Includes images related to the Kent State shootings, among other historical event images.
41. Poster -- "The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail. Lawrence and Lee. Dedicated to the ideals of civil disobedience displayed at Kent State University May 4, 1970," Kent State University Theatre, April 22-25, 1971
42. Poster -- "That's Murder; Not satisfied with the bullet spattered... Graham Marks, Kent, Ohio, May 4, 1970," 1972
    Physical Description: Includes graphic of a hand with each of four fingers containing the name of one of the four slain Kent State students, with "PPP" printed and signed "Peck, 2/15, 1972" (?) Signature is very faint and difficult to read.
43. Poster -- "Kent" by Jackett, 1970
44. Poster -- "La lutte continue", University of Illinois at Chicago, undated (2 copies)
    Acquisitions Information: Donated by Daniel Mellis.
    Scope and Content: The title comes from the phrase, "The struggle continues". Includes modern letterpress reprint of poster and photograph of original poster in the same size.  Poster bears a protest slogan from 1968 and was printed in the former Architecture and Art building at the University of Illinois at Chicago between September 1968 and August 1970. File contains a booklet designed by Brent Hurlbert and Daniel Mellis and produced in the UIC School of Design Print Lab.
45. Poster -- "All power to the people", University of Illinois at Chicago, undated (2 copies)
    Acquisitions Information: Donated by Daniel Mellis.
    Scope and Content: Includes modern letterpress reprint of poster and photograph of original poster in the same size.
46. Poster -- "Free Huey support the panthers", University of Illinois at Chicago, undated (2 copies)
    Acquisitions Information: Donated by Daniel Mellis.
    Scope and Content: Includes modern letterpress reprint of poster and photograph of original poster in the same size.
47. Poster -- "If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem", University of Illinois at Chicago, undated (2 copies)
    Acquisitions Information: Donated by Daniel Mellis.
    Scope and Content: Includes modern letterpress reprint of poster and photograph of original poster in the same size.
48. Poster -- "Up against the wall", University of Illinois at Chicago, undated (2 copies)
    Acquisitions Information: Donated by Daniel Mellis.
    Scope and Content: Includes modern letterpress reprint of poster and photograph of original poster in the same size
49. Poster -- "13 Seconds in Kent State", The Outcasts Creative, 2021
    Acquisitions Information: Donated by Lance Steen Anthony Nielsen.
    Scope and Content: Poster signed by Writer and Director, Lance Steen Anthony Nielsen, Co-Founder of The Outcasts Creative. The Outcasts Creative presents 13 Seconds in Kent State, a five-part online drama series.
    Physical Location: Filed in oversized map case.