Jim P. Long, Personal Narrative

Submitted via email, February 4, 2000

I was a student at Louisiana State University in New Orleans in May 1970. I was set to graduate in 21 days. I was absorbed so much in my academic curriculum at the time, that I had no time to watch the news of read the newspapers. It is an indelible memory of my life when a female student in my German language class turned to me and told me what had happened the day before at Kent State University. I was astounded. What were we doing there in class? I thought. I got up and left. Outside I asked another student if what I had just heard had indeed occured. Sadly it was of course true.

That night I and a high school student at LSUNO (someone who prided himself on being apolitical) spent the night with hundreds of other students camped out in shock and disgust outside the University Center Building. We sang, we prayed, we railed against the insane policy of President Nixon. We changed that night. We were never the same again.

I hope to be able to come to Kent State this year for the first time. It is a part of me.