On May 4, 1970, National Guardsmen opened fire on students protesting the Vietnam War at Kent State University in Ohio, killing four and wounding nine.
Among the wounded were best friends Alan Canfora and Thomas Grace. Alan died of cancer in 2020, but Thomas came to StoryCorps to remember that day with Alan’s younger sister, Chic Canfora, who was a Kent State sophomore at the time.
This broadcast is supported in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Originally aired May 2, 2025 on NPR’s Morning Edition.
Local support for StoryCorps comes from Albertus Magnus College.