When the Guns Turned on Students: Kent State and the Warning for Today
Release Date: 05/04/2025
When the Guns Turned on Students: Kent State and the Warning for Today
Wide Awake America
Today on Wide Awake America, we speak with Kate D'Angelo, a mother, grandmother, and former Kent State University student who witnessed the events of May 4, 1970, when the National Guard opened fire on students protesting the Vietnam War, killing four and wounding nine. As college campuses once again erupt in protest and calls to deploy the National Guard reemerge, Kate shares her firsthand account of the lead-up, the deadly escalation, and the traumatic aftermath of that day. Her story is a powerful reminder of what’s at stake when student voices are met with state violence—and what...
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info_outlineToday on Wide Awake America, we speak with Kate D'Angelo, a mother, grandmother, and former Kent State University student who witnessed the events of May 4, 1970, when the National Guard opened fire on students protesting the Vietnam War, killing four and wounding nine. As college campuses once again erupt in protest and calls to deploy the National Guard reemerge, Kate shares her firsthand account of the lead-up, the deadly escalation, and the traumatic aftermath of that day. Her story is a powerful reminder of what’s at stake when student voices are met with state violence—and what it means to bear witness, stand in solidarity, and speak truth, even decades later.