Kent State Shootings: Digital Archive

CKSUV: Audio Recordings: Statement: Johnson and McCain

Kent State Shootings: Digital Archive

CKSUV: Audio Recordings: Statement: Johnson and McCain

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Description Recorded statements of Mike Johnson and Jim McCain conducted by the CKSUV. 

Johnson, a student, political science major, at time of the shootings, was unaware of martial law being in place when he arrived on campus on Monday. He was interested in the rally on the Commons and relays his observations of what occurred before, during, and after the shootings. He states that he did not witness a command to fire. He directly observed wounded and slain students. He also notes that he was unaware of "outside agitators" being present.

McCain was a doctoral student and grad assistant in political science at the time of the shootings. He was a resident of Glen Morris apartments at time of shootings. He talks about "fraternization" among Guardsmen and students before shootings and the fact that this made him uncomfortable with their control of campus. He comments as well on Portage County Sheriff personnel speaking abusively to him at a roadblock getting into Kent on Sunday night. He also had a high-tension interaction with a National Guardsman that same evening. He comments on communication issues among the various police and government agencies in Kent at that time. McCain notes at end of recording that his roommate was a black man, and McCain asked him about black students' roles in the events of May 1-4, and was told by the roommate that there was no involvement by black students/organizations in the events. McCain also assesses that the events were not influenced or caused by so-called "outside agitators."


Date 1970-05-28
Institution Kent State University
Repository Special Collections and Archives
Access Rights This digital object is owned by Kent State University and may be protected by U.S. Copyright law (Title 17, USC). Please include proper citation and credit for use of this item. Use in publications or productions is prohibited without written permission from Kent State University. Please contact the Department of Special Collections and Archives for more information.
Duplication Policy http://www.library.kent.edu/special-collections-and-archives/duplication-policy
Duration 0:27:05
DPLA Rights Statement http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Format of Original reel-to-reel
Author/Photographer Johnson, Mike
McCain, Jim
Subcollection Commission on KSU Violence records
Subject(s) Audio recording
Commissions, Hearings, Tribunals
May 4 Provenance May 4 Collection