Roger J. Di Paolo papers

May 4 Collection - Box 123

Finding Aid

Prepared by Eric Linderman, April 20, 1997. Updated by Penny White, June 2013

Inclusive Dates: 1977-78
Extent: .33 cubic feet (1 document case + 1 oversize folder)
Physical Location: 12th floor

Biographical Note: These papers were donated by Roger J. Di Paolo, editor of the Record-Courier, to the Kent State Department of Special Collections and Archives in March of 1997. While an intern reporter and student of Kent State University, Di Paolo collected much of the material associated with protests against construction of the gym annex that took place on the Kent State campus during 1977 and 1978.

Scope and Content: This collection documents the 1977-78 protests against construction of the gym annex at Kent State. The central issue was the annex site, near the place where four students were killed on May 4,1970. Friction between protesters and University administration resulted in rallies with as many as 2,000 participants. The materials in this collection document the protests with photographs, newspaper articles, protest literature, and UPI dispatches.

Processing Note: Contents have been described using notes made by Di Paolo.

May 4 Collection - Box 123
Folder -- Contents

Series 1 -- Gym Construction Protests, 1977
Quotations are taken from Roger Di Paolo's notes included in the collection.

1. Photograph, Gym site rally; October 1977
   "News media and protesters converge (illegally) on gym site."
2. Photograph, McKitrick, Allen; September 19, 1977
   "McKitrick...confers with university officials and law enforcement officers."
3. Photograph, Gym protesters celebrate after retaking the gym site; late July 1977
   "In foreground is Jolene McDonald. Jolene McDonald, Nathan Sooy, Jane Bratnober."
4. Photograph, Gym protesters march in downtown Kent area; August 1977.
   "Arthur Krause,...and Rev. John Adams,...Sarah Scheuer...Jolene McDonald...
   Mrs. Canfora...Albert Canfora...Martin Scheuer."
5. Photograph, Whitaker, William, attorney, of Akron; August 1977.
   "Addresses a meeting of University School parents."
6. Photograph, Kent State University Board of Trustees meeting; July or August 1977
   "...Norman Jackson;... trustee William Williams,...Michael Schwartz... David Dix...
   Photograph, Robert Baumgardner...Robert Blakemore... Dr. James Fleming...Roger J. Di Paolo."
7. Photograph, Cochrane, Julia, gym protester; September 1977.
   "...buried herself near the gym site..."
8. Photograph, Kovic, Ron, author of "Born on the Fourth of July" and Dr. Raghbir Basi
   Summer 1977.
   "At a student meeting. Bill Arthrell stands behind them."
9. Photograph, Janik, George, KSU Board of Trustees chairman; July 26, 1977
   "Confronted by protesters following a trustees meeting at the Stark-KSU Campus,....
   Georgianne Taylor...Jane Bratnober...Dennis Carey...Fleming."
10. Protest Leaflets
    "A Special Return *Appearance* by the President"
    "Wednesday Afternoon live with Brage Golding"
11. "Statement by President Golding on the Report of the May 4th Commemoration Committee"
    January 25, 1978; 4p.
12. "Address to the Faculty of Kent State University by President Brage Golding"
    January 6, 1978; 25p.
13. "Report of the May 4th Commemoration Committee Sumitted to Dr. Brage Golding..."
    January 19, 1978; 10p.
14. "Kent State University Resolution of Board of Trustees
    October 20, 1977"; 1p.
15. President Golding on "the proposed meeting of the Revolutionary Student Brigade...October 22."
    September 27, 1977; 2p.
16. Programs and News Letters on Golding Taking office as President
    October, 1977.
17. Newspaper Articles on Golding and Gym Annex Construction Issue
    August, 1977-February, 1978.
18. May 4th Task Force - 1978, List of Signatures
    "protest[ing] the issuance of a permit allowing the students to march..."
19. May 4th Task Force - 1978, Statement made to the May 4th Observance committee; March 29, 1978.; 1p.
20. May 4th Task Force - 1978, Spring Quarter Programs; 1p.
21. May 4th Task Force - 1978, Memorial program for May 4, 1978; 1p.
22. May 4th Task Force - 1978, Letter to President Golding, January 16, 1978; 2p.
23. May 4th Task Force - 1978, Newspaper articles on May 4th Task Force and president, Brage Golding
24. Revolutionary Student Brigade, Leaflets on the R.S.B. convention
25. Revolutionary Student Brigade, Correspondence on University regulations
    Bratnober, Jane with Richard Bredemier; Golding, Brage.
26. Revolutionary Student Brigade, Press statements on the gym annex issue
27. Revolutionary Student Brigade, Newspaper articles on RSB and gym annex construction issue
28. Young Americans for Freedom, "Press Statement...to expose the efforts by the May 4th Coalition to provoke violence and terrorism..."
    September 24 [1977]; 6p.
29. Young Americans for Freedom, "News Release Terrorism Planned at Kent State"
    Thursday, September 22, 1977; 5p.
30. Young Americans for Freedom, Leaflets on YAF
31. S.M.A.C.C.K. (Students Maintaining and Advocating Co-operation and constructiveness at Kent)
    November 14, 1977; 2p.
32. S.M.A.C.C.K., Misc.--opposition to Protests
    Includes Citizens concerned for Kent State University; petitions, leaflets.
33. Citizens Concerned with the Preservation of Law and Order; 1977 July
    Typescripts and signed petitions.
34. F.A.C.T., "Pop's Snow Squad"
    December 22, 1972.
    Includes correspondence; 2p.
35. F.A.C.T., Newspaper Articles
36. Kent Community Forum, Typescripts on the gym annex issue; 1977.
37. Kent Community Forum, Newspaper articles on Kent Community Forum and gym dispute; 1977.
38. Rallies Against Construction of Gym Annex -- 1977, Protest Leaflets
39. Rallies Against Construction of Gym Annex -- 1977, Court Orders, Injunctions
40. Rallies Against Construction of Gym Annex -- 1977, American Civil Liberties Union
    Letters to President Golding and KSU.
41. Rallies Against Construction of Gym Annex -- 1977, Newspaper Articles
42. Protest leaflets, May 4, 1978
43. Newspaper Articles, May 4 1978
44. President Golding--statement on May 4, 1978; 6p.
45. Gym Annex Protests -- Akron Beacon Journal -- Newspaper Articles, 1977
    Discusses president Glenn Olds, historical site study, arresting of protestors, plans for annex site; Cochran, Julia; Kunstler, William.
46. U.P.I. Dispatches, 1977
47. U.P.I. Dispatches, 1977
48. U.P.I. Dispatches, 1977
49. U.P.I. Dispatches, 1977
50. Jeep Incident, 1977; Newspaper Articles
    "an incident in which a jeep [was] driven...into a crowd of 300 protesters."
51. Jeep Incident, 1977; Grand Jury Witness Subpoena
    Regards DiPaolo being sought as an eyewitness following the Jeep Incident.
52. Interior Department Study: Gym Site as National Historic Site 1977-78
    Correspondence on Meetings of the Historic Areas Committee
    Includes Urban, George; Dix, David E.; Janik, George; and Emery, George F.
53. Interior Department Study: Gym Site as National Historic Site 1977-78
    Newspaper articles
54. Begala, John A., State Representative; August 23, 1977
    Typescripts from Begala on the Gym Annex issue. 6p.
55. Record Courrier; Letters to the Editor, September 1977
56. Notices to students to vacate construction site, July-October 1977 Includes 2 notices (shelved in map case)