"Talkin' Bout My Generation": Helping Millennials Understand the Sixties at Kent State University

• In Event: 54.064 - Engaging Complex Social and Scientific Issues in Informal Learning Spaces

Abstract

At the height of the Free Speech Movement on the campus of the University of California Berkeley, activist Jack Weinberg explained to a reporter that one of the campaigns guiding principles was, “Don’t trust anyone over 30.” This phrase spoke to a generation, quickly taking on a life of its own. It appeared on buttons, signs, and t-shirts at rallies for issues ranging from anti-war protests to the fight for civil rights. Today, those children of the sixties are the grandparents of the millennials. At the May 4 Visitors Center at Kent State University, our mission is to bridge this generation gap to help today’s college students understand the context and legacy of May 4, 1970.
The growing field of memory and history studies heavily guides this task. While May 4, 1970 was once clearly part of our national collective memory, its influence outside of Northeast Ohio is fading. The songs of May 4 are considered oldies, the clothing is retro, and cultural markers have shifted. However, the issues at the heart of the conflict – from the right to free speech to the limits of state violence–are still very much relevant. To keep the memory of alive, we must explain the past with an eye on the present.
Our subjects are the thousands of students who experience the Center for the first time during their First Year Experience course. More often than not, a team of student employees recruited from many different departments and diverse backgrounds leads these tours. These student employees are our first tool in making May 4 matter. We have found upper classmen are some of our most trusted messengers. This peer-to-peer interaction makes the content more relatable.
Another tactic is to consistently encourage our guests to think about where they would have stood on the many social, racial, and gender divides of the sixties and today’s ongoing struggles. The exhibit designs aids in this effort. Kent State’s local connection is described alongside overviews of national movements. Contrary to popular misconceptions, Kent State was and is an activist campus.
Finally, we make sure that we end the tour by encouraging students to “be the change.” After a long and intense presentation on the victims of the shooting, the national reaction, and largely unsuccessful legal battle for justice, this focus on activism encourages students to frame history in relation to their experiences. It also adds a hopeful message to an otherwise difficult topic.
For my part of the session, I will discuss these strategies along with the many others we have developed to help new students understand the importance of past struggles. Young adults are one of the most difficult audiences to please. Through constant trial and error, we have found ways to tell a story across generations.

Author

• Mindy Farmer, Kent State University