Jay A. Hatcher, Personal Narrative

Submitted via email, December 1, 1999

I was a freshman at UNM (University of New Mexico) in Albuquerque on May 4, 1970. I was waiting for my Engl 101 class to begin, when the professor came into the classroom wearing a black armband and informed us of what had transpired at Kent State. He dismissed class in order for those of us who wanted to, could attend a rally at the University Plaza. I attended the rally and listened to speakers (can't really remember the speeches). Later that evening we, as a group, went to our ROTC building and trashed it.

I became involved in our anti-war movement, dropped out of school, campaigned for George McGovern, got a job, enlisted in the Coast Guard in 1976 (CG's mission statement of saving lives induced me), retired from the Coast guard in 1998, am currently attending UWEC (University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire) for a history degree with designs of teaching HS history. I am currently working on my history thesis on the events of May 4, 1970 which will be completed in the fall of 2000.