J. Charles Walker papers, 1970

May 4 Collection - Box 93

Finding Aid

Prepared by Nancy Birk, 2 November 1994; Updated January 2012; September 2016; January 2017

Extent: 1 slim document case, .16 cubic foot
Physical Location: 11th and 12th floors

Historical Note / Scope and Content: Professor Walker was an instructor in the School of Art in May of 1970, and later on a full professor in the School of Art and Coordinator of the Design Studio. After the shootings of May 4, the University was closed by court injunction, and it remained closed for the duration of the spring quarter. Special arrangements were subsequently made in each academic department for students to complete coursework. In the case of the Art Department, mimeographed letters were sent to students' home addresses offering them alternate ways either to receive partial credit or withdraw from the course. In large part, this collection consists of the student responses to the forms that he sent out in the weeks following the shootings.

This collection will be of value to researchers examining student and faculty attitudes in the period following May 4, 1970. Students returning their forms often wrote notes concerning the shootings and their feelings on the closing of the University.

Acquisitions Information: J. Charles Walker donated this material to the Special Collections and Archives in the early 1970's.

Restrictions on Access: Some information included in this collection is restricted due to the presence of information protected by privacy laws. This information has been redacted where present on documents in the collection. Un-redacted originals, in all cases, have been retained by Special Collections and Archives.

Sponsor: Digitization of this collection was funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.

May 4 Collection - Box 93
Folder - Contents

1. Correspondence: J. Charles Walker to Students in Art 316 and Art 332: May 18, 1970
2. Correspondence: School of Art to Students in Art Courses: May 13, 1970
3. Correspondence: Provost Louis Harris to Members of AAAC: May 12, 1970
4. Correspondence: Honors College to All Honors 499H Thesis, Project Advisors and Seniors in Honors 499H: May 12, 1970
5. Correspondence: Students to J. Charles Walker: May-June, 1970; undated
6. Flyer: "The Peace Ticket": 1970
7. Resolutions: Faculty: May 5, 1970
8. Resolutions: Faculty Senate: May 14, 1970
9. School of Art Faculty List: undated, (but 1970)
10. Poster: "All" art exhibition, faculty of the Kent State University School of Art: November 1970
    Physical Location: Filed in the map case.
    Scope and Content: Poster includes typewritten, signed note by J. Charles Walker indicating that he has chosen not to exhibit his creative work in the exhibition and thereby disallows "the use of [his] name and prestige as a graphic designer to a country, state, county, city and university which allows students to be murdered and faculty to be intimidated...." He further indicates that the fee for his design of this poster will be donated to the Confrontation at Kent fund to raise medical and legal aid for students injured in the Kent State shootings.