Jerry M. Lewis, a professor at Kent State who witnessed the National Guard kill four students on May 4, 1970, and dedicated his life to telling the story of that dark day, has died at the age of 88.
Lewis was 33 years old at the time of the shootings and served as a faculty marshal.
“I saw a student laying on the ground some distance away so I went over, it was a blind student who had been tear gassed, so I applied first aid,” Lewis told News 5 during the 50th anniversary of the shooting.
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RELATED: On the 50th anniversary, witnesses remember the May 4 shootings at Kent State University
Lewis was known for his advocacy in preserving the memory of the shootings, which sparked a national outcry.
“Jerry was a fierce advocate for students, a consummate classroom teacher, an accomplished researcher and a living trustee of history and the search for truth and meaning,” Kent State President Todd Diacon said. “He was the most noble person I have ever worked with in my nearly 40 years in higher education. We will miss him and treasure his memory forever.”
According to News 5's media partners at the Akron Beacon Journal, Lewis received a bachelor’s degree from Cornell College, a master’s degree from Boston University and a doctorate in sociology from the University of Illinois in 1966. He joined the Kent State faculty as an assistant professor of sociology in September 1966.
Lewis remained at Kent State until his retirement in 2013.
You can read more about Lewis in the Akron Beacon Journal.
