Barclay D. McMillen papers

May 4 Collection - Box 131

Finding Aid
Prepared by Richard Wisneski, September 30, 2004. Updated August 2011; December 2017; September 2018

Inclusive Dates: 1968-1999
Extent: .33 cubic foot (1 document case)
Physical Location: 12th floor

Biographical Note: Barclay Doster McMillen (b. March 7, 1931; d. Sept. 9, 2001) was a Kent State University political science lecturer and assistant to President Robert I. White from 1967 until his resignation at the end of the 1971 academic year. He received his A.B. from Kent State in 1953, and L.L.B. from Harvard Law School in 1957. McMillen was also the "Special Counsel for Student Rights" from 1968 to 1969, playing a role in negotiating confrontations on the Kent State campus between students, faculty, and administration. These confrontations involved the Black United Students (BUS), the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), and Concerned Citizens of KSU Community (CCC) in November 1968 and April 1969. On May 4, 1970, at 11 a.m., Barclay McMillen gave a lecture to his political science class, simultaneously broadcast to the campus, in which he urged his students to avoid the noontime rally.

Scope and Content:  The collection consists of documents from 1968 to 1971, including letters written to President Robert White concerning student unrest at the Kent State University campus; an unpublished manuscript, The Student and the University: A Perspective on Change; and his copy of the 1970 Minority Report of the Commission on KSU Violence by Doris Franklin (which includes his marginalia). Also included are reflections on student unrest at Kent State, including a letter to the Record Courier newspaper and a typed copy of online manuscript Kent State May 4, 1970: Who REALLY Was Responsible for the Shootings? [published as an e-book at http://www.kentstate1970.com in 1999; no longer an active site]. Finally, there are audio recordings including David Dix's interviews with McMillen and McMillen's recorded reflections made in 1989 and 1990.

Acquisitions Information: The Barclay D. McMillen papers were donated to Kent State University Special Collections and Archives in 1991.

May 4 Collection -- Box 131
Folder -- Contents

Letters

1. Letter to President White. "Thoughts and suggestions" regarding recent campus disturbance that involved "Black United Students" (BUS) and "Students for a Democratic Society" (SDS). 3 pages, December 2, 1968
2. Letter to then-wife [Liz] on his role in campus unrest. 2 pages, April 23, 1969
3. Letter to President White. His recommendations on how to restrain "Students for a Democratic Society" (SDS) from the Kent State campus. 2 pages, May 23, 1969
4. Resignation letter to President White as "Special Counsel" for Student Rights (2 copies). 3 pages, May 26, 1969
5. Letter to President White. Comments on the June 9, 1969 Eisenhower Commission report and its relation to student conduct codes and "campus peace resources". 1 page, July 16, 1969
6. Letter to President White. Outlines how students, faculty, and administration can "cope" with campus disturbances. 2 pages, July 21, 1969
7. Letter to President White. Regarding copies of his report to Vice President Robert Matson, Dr. Beer, and officials at Harvard, Columbia, Dartmouth, and Cornell. 2 pages, September 22, 1969
8. Letter to President White. Personal reflections on events of May 1-4, 1970. 2 pages, June 1, 1970
9. Letter to the Record Courier newspaper, reflecting on events of May 4, 1970. 1 page, July 1990

Manuscripts and Transcripts

10. The Student and the University: A Perspective on Change. Unpublished manuscript submitted to President White reporting on campus unrest throughout the United States, and at Kent State University during the academic year 1969-1970. Five appendices, including: McMillen's dictated remarks on visits to Columbia, Harvard, Dartmouth, and Cornell; Harvard University's interim report by the Committee of Fifteen on the Causes of the Recent Crisis; Dartmouth College letter, "To all our jailed students"; and, injunction documents related to Dartmouth College and Columbia University. 175 pages, September 8, 1969

10A. Behind the Ivy Curtain. Barclay D. McMillen and William J. Armstrong, Jr., September 1970.

11. Transcript of Dr. Barclay McMillen's Lecture to his Political Science Class: Broadcast to the University and Community at 11 a.m., May 4, 1970, an Hour Before the Tragedy of the Four Kent Students (2 copies). 21 pages, May 4, 1970
12. Minority Report of the Commission on KSU Violence by Doris Franklin, [fragment of report; includes McMillen's autograph notes in the margins]. 200 pages, 1971
13. Kent State May 4, 1970: Who REALLY Was Responsible for the Shootings? Typescript, draft with autograph notes. 135 pages, undated
14. Kent State May 4, 1970: Who REALLY Was Responsible for the Shootings? Electronic manuscript, 60 pages, 1999 [printed from Web in 2003; site is no longer available]

Newspaper Clippings and Other Papers

15. Student Senate Minutes. Includes a Bill on how "War in Vietnam directly affects students". 5 pages October 7, 1969
16. Newspaper article. "McMillen announces resignation." 1 page, May 13, 1971
17. Flyers: "The Frank and McMillen/Armstrong Manuscripts: A Colloquium" 1 page, April 22, 2003.
    Related Materials: See Videotape of colloquium, with commentary by Thomas R. Hensley, in May 4 Collection, Box 95B, Folder 70
18. Obituary from the Harvard Law School Alumni Bulletin, Spring 2002

Audio Recordings
Alternate Form Available: The recordings listed below have been digitally captured. Please see Special Collections and Archives staff for information on access.

19. Audio Recording: Barclay McMillen Interview with David Dix, Parts 1 and 2, October 26, 1989
    Physical Description: Audio cassette tape, recorded on sides A and B.
20. Audio Recording: Barclay McMillen Interview with David Dix, Part 3, October 26, 1989
    Physical Description: Audio cassette tape, recorded on side A.
21. Audio Recording: Barclay McMillen: Thoughts on May 4th, October 15, 1990
    Physical Description: Audio cassette tape (side A only) and a CD containing a WAV audio file copy, containing McMillen's thoughts on May 4, 1970 and the events following.
22. Audio Recording: Barclay McMillen: Thoughts on May 4th, October 19, 1990
    Physical Description: CD with a WAV audio file of an audio recording made by McMillen on October 19. Appears to be a continuation of his efforts in October 1990 to record his thoughts on May 4, 1970 and the events following.
23. Audio Recording: Barclay McMillen: Thoughts on May 4th, October 26, 1990
    Physical Description: Audio cassette tape (sides A and B). Appears to be a continuation of McMillen's efforts in October 1990 to record his thoughts on May 4, 1970 and the events following.
24. Audio Recording: Barclay McMillen: Thoughts on May 4th, undated (but likely October 1990)
    Physical Description: Audio cassette tape (side A only) recording made by McMillen on an unspecified date.  Appears to be a continuation of his efforts in October 1990 to record his thoughts on May 4, 1970 and the events following.
25. Audio Recording: Barclay McMillen: Thoughts on May 4th, undated (but likely October 1990)
    Physical Description: CD with a WAV audio file of an audio recording made by McMillen on an unspecified date. Appears to be a continuation of his efforts in October 1990 to record his thoughts on May 4, 1970 and the events following.