Cast Credits

Laurence Simpson: Lawrence (Larry) J. Simpson was a Black United Students (BUS) president at Kent State University. While there he participated in efforts to establish a strong Pan-African studies program at Kent. He was involved in the Oakland Police Department Recruitment protest at Kent in 1968 and the subsequent walkout of all Black students at Kent. Lawrence is now a Ph.D. and the Campus President/College Vice President, Metropolitan Campus at northern Ohio’s Cuyahoga Community Colleges

Carolyn Knox: Carolyn (Candy) Knox was one of the most visible and charismatic leaders of the original SDS on campus. While at Kent she was married to Rick Erickson. Together they rented the “haunted house” (mentioned prominently in James Michener’s book) that was the site of much of the organizing activities of SDS in Kent. Carolyn collaborated with Terry Hammond in Kent on the original theoretical discussions of the Weathermen. Carolyn participated in the Music and Speech protest at Kent and was arrested and imprisoned. She got out of jail, with others, on April 29th, 1970.

Rick Erickson: Rick Erickson was one of the founders and leaders of Kent SDS. Rick came from a family heavily involved in the labor movement in Akron. His father served as Mayor of Akron. He is often cited as the most inspirational leader at Kent. He participated in the Music and Speech protest at Kent and was arrested and imprisoned. He got out of jail, with others on April 29th, 1970, just days before student protest over Nixon’s invasion of Cambodia broke out. Rick is now retired in Seattle Washington.

Howie Emmer: Howie Emmer was the most visible original anti-war protestor at Kent. He formed the Kent Committee to End the War in Vietnam (KCEWV) in 1967. This led to the formation of SDS on campus in 1967. Howie came from Cleveland where his parents were teachers and social progressives. Howie participated in the Music and Speech protest at Kent and was arrested and imprisoned. He got out of jail, with others, on April 29th, 1970. Howie is now a beloved elementary school teacher in Chicago.

Ruth Emmer: Ruth Emmer is Howie Emmer’s mother. Ruth and her husband Jack were both teachers, avowed progressive labor leaders and social justice advocates at Kent. Ruth was called to testify before the HUAC committee in the 1950s. Ruth and Jack provided community support for Kent SDS throughout the late 60s.

Jim Powrie: Jim Powrie was recruited as a football player at Kent in 1966. He became one of the original members of Kent SDS and wrote and printed anti-war materials. In 1969 he participated in the Music and Speech protest at Kent that led to the arrest and imprisonment of the majority of the SDS leaders on campus and the banishment of SDS from campus in 1969. Of all those arrested, Jim served the most time in jail. Jim is now a leading researcher and program director in the field of Adult Learning Research.

Tom Grace: Tom Grace was a student/activist shot and wounded at Kent State University on May 4, 1970. He is now a Ph.D. historian and Labor representative in Buffalo New York.

Ken Hammond: Ken was an original SDS member at Kent. He was one of the leading theorists, researchers, writers and educators in Kent SDS. He co-wrote and published many of the educational pamphlets distributed by Kent SDS, including the pivotal “Who Owns” Pamphlet. Ken was the principal organizer of the May 4, 1970 protests that was organized and scheduled as a peaceful protest against the Nixon invasion of Cambodia. Ken rang the bell at noon on May 4 to gather students and witnessed all subsequent events. Ken was also one of the key participants and organizers of the 1977 “Tent City” protests against the building of a gymnasium over the site of some of the shootings. Ken went on to achieve his Ph.D. in Asian Studies at Harvard University and is now chair of the history department at New Mexico State University and one of the leading Asian Studies researchers and scholars in the world.

Bill Whitaker: Bill Whitaker was one of the founding members of Kent SDS and one of its leading spokespersons. Bill was studying for his law degree at Kent during the protests and became a legal advisor for everyone arrested or harassed. He also worked with David Scribner and William Kunstler on the defense team of the Kent 25 and served as attorney for many of those involved in the “Tent City” protests. Bill went on to become a trial attorney in Akron Ohio and continues to practice law and serve causes of civil rights and social justice.

Alan Canfora: Alan was a younger member of Kent SDS who joined with Tom Grace, Chic Canfora and others to actively pursue campus anti-war efforts at Kent after SDS was banned in 1969. Alan was shot and wounded at Kent on May 4th and has dedicated a good part of his life to promoting social justice causes, educating people about Kent and seeking justice for those wounded and killed at Kent. Alan was featured prominently in many of the photos taken at Kent on May 4th. Allen and his sister Chick Canfora come from a very strong family in Barberton, Ohio dedicated to labor issues for many generations.

Chic Canfora: Chic was a younger member of Kent SDS who joined others to actively pursue campus anti-war efforts at Kent after SDS was banned in 1969. Chic was on campus on May 4 when her brother and Tom Grace were shot and wounded and their friends Jeff Miller and Allison Krause and Sandra Scheuer and William Schroeder were shot and killed. Chic was indicted along with 24 others known as the Kent 25 for activities on campus on May 4. She became very close to the legal team working on the case, particularly, David Scribner, and was instrumental in the conduct of that legal case. She then studied the Harp at a prestigious university. In 1977 Chic was a vocal leader of the “Tent City” protests for 68 days before she was carried off, arrested and prosecuted for her participation. Chic went on to receive her Ph.D in communication studies and is now a University professor at John Carroll University and Kent State University as well as an accomplished Professional Harpist. A movie about Chic’s life is now in pre-production in Hollywood.

Gerry Casale: Gerry was an original member of SDS at Kent State University. He was also a leading artist at Kent, which was a center for music in the 60s and 70s. Gerry was on campus the day of the shootings. After the shootings he and other artists and musicians formed the groundbreaking band, DEVO. Gerry and other band members cite their experiences at Kent as leading to the formation of the band and the artistic and social themes that made it uniquely experimental and groundbreaking. Gerry is still a musician with DEVO and an accomplished film and video director.

Jeff Powell: Jeff Powell (Donovan) was one of the original members of Kent SDS. Jeff was involved and central to almost every anti-war action that took place at Kent. Jeff was arrested with others at Kent and served time in Jail. After the SDS split in Chicago in 1969, Jeff became a member of the Weather Underground. Jeff came out and settled legal issues in the mid 80s. He then became a passionate spokesperson for social justice issues focusing on poverty and hunger issues around the world.

Robin Marks-Fife: Robin was one of the original SDS members at Kent. She was instrumental in the educational and organizing efforts at Kent throughout the late sixties. While at Kent she worked in social services in Akron Ohio with Carolyn Knox and witnessed first hand the failures of social health and welfare systems. She was very involved in the split of SDS into factions in 1969 and went through a period of introspection and thought before deciding not to join Weather Underground. Robin became a tireless professional in social services and an advocate for social justice and progressive approaches to at-risk populations. She is a working artist and now divides her time between social services administration and her artwork.

Robert Pickett: Robert Pickett was a pioneering student civil rights activist at Kent State in the 1960s. He was an outspoken and dynamic leader of the groundbreaking student organization, Black United Students. BUS at Kent was one of the leading advocate organizations for African American education in the United States. Their efforts, along with others, to properly historicize African American history in this country and to gain educational rights and programs for African American students were revolutionary. Robert was one of the BUS leaders of the strike against the Oakland Police Department recruitment effort at Kent and the subsequent walkout of students in protest that led to Kent becoming an all-white public university overnight. Robert went on to an illustrious career in the law becoming a judge and attorney in New Jersey. He is also a frequent and eloquent guest speaker for KISS radio’s Sunday program on African American issues.

Mark Rudd: Mark Rudd was one of the national student SDS anti-war protest founders and leaders. He attended Columbia University in New York City and was instrumental in event organizing and protest in New York and at Columbia. Mark was also instrumental in forming the Weather Underground and becoming a leader in that organization. Mark has been featured in the film The Weather Underground. Mark’s visited Kent many times as a regional traveler and spent much time at Candy and Rick’s haunted house. Mark is quite eloquent in speaking about Kent and its centrality and importance in the anti-war movement.

Congressman John Lewis:  Congressman John Lewis was one of the great heroes of the Civil Rights Movement.  He grew up on a rural Alabama farm and listened to and studied the great Civil Rights Preachers including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr on the Radio.  He attended Seminary School in Nashville and there joined the non-violent Civil Rights movement with Diane Nash, James Bevel, C.T. Vivian, and many others studying under the legendary non-violence teacher Dr. James Lawson.  There he joined the Nashville Sit-In Movement and then co-formed SNCC, The Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee, and from there spent the next 5 years working with Ella Baker, King, Bob Moses and so many others in the Southern Civil Rights Movement.  He joined the Freedom Rides and was beaten, hospitalized and imprisoned.  He was chosen the youngest presenter at the 1963 March on Washington.  In 1964 he co organized Freedom Summer.  In 1965 he organized voters in the Selma Movement and when King was called away before a March from Selma to Montgomery for voters rights on March 17, 1965 he led the March across the Edmund Pettus Bridge and was severely beaten by Sherriff Jim Clark and his racist police. In 1966 he led draft resistance protests at local draft boards and in 1967 he stood and marched with Dr. King at the New York City Anti-War protests where he supported and stood shoulder to shoulder with King in delivering his historic Beyond Vietnam anti-war speech.  John Lewis was always a friend of Kent State.  In 2010 he came to Kent State to walk the grounds of the newly created May 4, 1970 national historical site and delivered a keynote President’s speech that moved the crowd.  There he visited with Black United Students who showed him the work in progress film version of Fire in the Heartland: The Kent State Story and decided to contribute to this film about events he described as one of the most important in the history of Civil Rights. history.