An 18-Year-Old’s Diary Entries From May, 1970 | Thought Catalog

An 18-Year-Old’s Diary Entries From May, 1970 | Thought Catalog

Richard Grayson's "BROOKLYN, KENT STATE, MAY 1970" Is #1 Best Seller for Children's 20th-Century American History eBooks at Amazon Kindle Store

Richard Grayson's BROOKLYN, KENT STATE, MAY 1970: Diary of an 18-Year-Old College Freshman is currently the #1 bestseller at the Amazon Kindle Store in the category of Children's Nonfiction Twentieth Century American History eBooks.

BROOKLYN, KENT STATE, MAY 1970 is also currently #3 Kindle ebook bestseller in the category of Childen's eBooks in U.S. History and Historical Fiction and #11 in the category of Biographies and Memoirs of Educators.

Here is the promo material for the ebook, published by Art Pants Company:

In the spring of 1970, college students across the country protested the widening of the Vietnam War after President Nixon announced the invasion of Cambodia. On May 4, National Guardsmen, sent to Ohio's Kent State University to quell a student demonstration, opened fire and killed four students and wounded others. In the nationwide firestorm of campus protest that followed, colleges and universities were shut down as angry students brought a halt to the spring semester with strikes and takeovers of buildings.

Brooklyn College in New York City was no exception, and his account of the day-by-day events at the school, acclaimed author and diarist Richard Grayson (The Brooklyn Diaries, With Hitler in New York, Lincoln's Doctor's Dog), then an 18-year-old freshman, gives a young student's perspective to this scary, exhilarating time in American history.

"BROOKLYN, KENT STATE, MAY 1970: Diary of an 18-Year-Old College Freshman" by Richard Grayson now available at Amazon Kindle Store

Richard Grayson's BROOKLYN, KENT STATE, MAY 1970: Diary of an 18-Year-Old College Freshman is now available at Amazon's Kindle Store for 99¢ from its publisher, Art Pants Company.

Here is the promo material for the 55-page $5.99 paperback edition from Superstition Mountain Press:

In the spring of 1970, college students across the country protested the widening of the Vietnam War after President Nixon announced the invasion of Cambodia. On May 4, National Guardsmen, sent to Ohio's Kent State University to quell a student demonstration, opened fire and killed four students and wounded others. In the nationwide firestorm of campus protest that followed, colleges and universities were shut down as angry students brought a halt to the spring semester with strikes and takeovers of buildings.

Brooklyn College in New York City was no exception, and his account of the day-by-day events at the school, acclaimed author and diarist Richard Grayson (The Brooklyn Diaries, With Hitler in New York, Lincoln's Doctor's Dog), then an 18-year-old freshman, gives a young student's perspective to this scary, exhilarating time in American history.

Forty Years Ago Today in Brooklyn: May 14, 1970: Brooklyn College reacts to Kent State

From our diary:

Thursday, May 14, 1970

A cooler, cloudy day. I woke up late and when I got on campus, Steve Denker said to me that he saw my name on the masthead of the special offset edition of the Spigot. Sure enough, Paul roped me into joining the staff.

I spent three hours typing up announcements for the next edition, which may or may not come out tomorrow. I lost track of the time and just made it to Miss Glikin's class. She said if we want better than a P, we'll have to do a paper on One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

Then I had lunch at the Campus Coffee Shop with Leonard, and we went to see Prof. Levine. You can take a final if you want to - I'm undecided. The day seemed to go by so fast; when I came home after 4 p.m., I saw Bonnie on the porch and absent-mindedly said, "No school today?"

I started to write Mark [friend in National Guard basic training at Fort Polk, Louisiana] but there's so much to tell him. Joey Fisher was over today with his guitar, so apparently he's calmed down about fighting the hardhats.

The stock market hit a new low and Vietnam casualties hit an eight-month high.

Forty Years Ago Today in Brooklyn: May 13, 1970: Brooklyn College reacts to Kent State

From our diary:

Wednesday, May 13, 1970

A warm, sunny day punctuated by a morning rain shower. I was very dizzy last night and didn't get much sleep. Mom spent the day shopping downtown and she got me a Wallace Beery-type shirt.

I had lunch near the college with Howie and Linda, who was on her lunch hour from her job/ Howie may get a job announcing the news on Saturdays on a Long Island radio station; he's auditioning on the air on Friday. They make a nice couple - it's obvious they're in love.

In Boylan Hall, I was walking around and saw that riverrun [college literary magazine] was on sale. When I told them who I was, they gave me three copies free. The story, "Reflections on a Village Rosh Hashona," [a revised version appeared in the London-based Transatlantic Review in 1976] is just the way I wrote it. It was elating to see it in print. I didn't let anyone read it, however - too embarrassing.

I briefly joined Esther on a picket line and went home to lie in the sun and finish the Mailer novel. [Robert] Morgenthau dropped out of the race for governor. The hardhats and those dandruffy clerks in their Robert Hall shirts were out [on Wall Street] shouting "U.S.A. alla way."

Thank God for Sec'y Hickel - I made a mistake in opposing his appoointment. [Vice President] Agnew was on David Frost, taking a cue from his boss, coming on quiet and sincere. God, sometimes I wonder late at night what would have been had Bobby Kennedy not gotten shot.

The day's New York Times contained an article by Paul L. Montgomery, "War Protests Continue; Colleges Poorly Attended," reporting on the previous day's events related to the campus strikes, which began

The State Court of Appeals in Albany ruled yesterday that law students must complete the specified number of classroom hours and take final examinations to be eligible for the State Bar examinations.

and went on to say

Attendance was small at many of the larger colleges in the metropolitan ara, including New York University, Columbia, City College, Long Island University, Hunter College and Brooklyn College.

. . . On the lawns at Brooklyn College, students put on guerrilla theater skits about the state of the nation. . .

The article had a photograph taken near the New York Stock Exchange with the caption

POLICE BAR CONFRONTATION: Helmeted policemen guarding barricades set up around student antiwar demonstration in Broad Street just south of Wall Street. Helmeted construction men and other workers, foreground, were kept away during the meeting.

Forty Years Ago Today in Brooklyn: May 12, 1970: Brooklyn College reacts to Kent State

From our diary:

Tuesday, May 12, 1970

A hot, humid day. I spent the morning in the back yard and I'm as red as a lobster.

They served an injunction on the strike steering committee last night and they fled Kneller's office. I walked into the Spigot office and Paul asked me to go around and estimate the percentage of attendance. I figured 20% at most.

I met with most of my teachers, although I couldn't find Miss Glikin. Dr. Bonchek sent a letter saying the class will meet on Friday at Hillel. Dr. D'Avanzo's giving me an A, Benezra and Wachsberger will give A's, B's and P's - I'll probably get the latter.

This afternoon I renewed my friendship with Stan by staying at his house for a couple of hours. Mrs. Wanglund is very nice, like Stan. Two of his friends came over and I recognized one of them, Peter, from junior high. When I drove Stan to the store where he works, he told me he's joining the Reserves.

In the news, the Senate confirmed Blackmun and may cut off funds for the war. The Liberals [New York State Liberal Party] nominated Goldberg and Goodell [Democratic gubernatorial candidate Arthur Goldberg for Governor, Republican U.S. Senator Charles Goodell for Senate].

Sens. Church, Goodell, Hughes, McGovern and Hatfield made a good case fo their bill to cut off war funds in a TV special.

The rest of our diary entry is about our crush on a guy (also gay) we met at our friend's house.

The day's New York Times had a front-page story by Paul L. Montgomery, "ATTENDANCE IS OFF AT COLLEGES HERE; Students Engage in Antiwar Activities--Classes Are Suspended at Hunter," which began

Most colleges and universities in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut officially resumed classes yesterday after a week of protest, but attendance on a number of campuses was marginal as students continued strikes and antiwar activities.

Brooklyn-related excerpts from the article:

Students and faculty members at the Brooklyn center of Long Island University voted to suspend classes for the rest of the semester . . .

Three city high schools were closed early yesterday because of student protests. They were Erasmus Hall in Brooklyn, John Bowne in Queens and Samuel J. Tilden in Brooklyn . . .

At Brooklyn College most students remained on strike yesterday. Abbie Hoffman, one of the defendants in the Chicaqo Seven conspiracy trial, told a crowd of 1,500 at a rally that colleges must remain closed in the fall "and the way to keep them closed in the fall is action during the summer."

Forty Years Ago Today in Brooklyn: May 11, 1970: Brooklyn College reacts to Kent State

From our diary:

Monday, May 11, 1970

A hot, sunny day. Marc went to school [James Madison High School] but there was a strike and he came home. The Board of Higher Education opened the City University, but Pres. Kneller closed Brooklyn.

Dr. Wolk [my psychologist] and I discussed my role in all of this. He's pleased that I'm making excellent progress. His new book, The Right to Lie, has been published.

When I got back on campus, I went into a crowd that included Janet, Effie, Rose Levine and Prof. Levine and heard Abbie Hoffman speak. I never heard so many "fuck"s in my life. The speech was filled with bad logic, revolutionary rhetoric and some humor - I did not applaud with the others.

Hoffman's a showman. I doubt if he wants peace and hope not too many are fooled by him.

Then I went to the Spigot [The Ol' Spigot, the student government newspaper] office. The [student government] elections have been officially cancelled.

Steve Denker, who appointed me [elections commissioner] chaired a meeting that included José and Mitch Pasin. A quasi-official student government committee was set up to contact local organizations.

I may take Paul up on his offer to join the Spigot staff. José told me there are advantages to being nice to Ricki: "she's very liberal about sex."

At home, I spent the afternoon sunning myself and reading The Deer Park. I stopped by the Dashes tonight. Sid and Charlotte Rothenberg reported that Joey Fisher wants to quit [high] school and fight the hardhats. We decided that the best way to express dissent was at the ballot box.

Forty Years Ago Today in Brooklyn: May 9, 1970: Brooklyn College reacts to Kent State

From our diary:

Saturday, May 9, 1970

A hot day - it hit 90° and was sunny. I got a letter from Mark [a friend in National Guard basic training] this morning. Things seem to be going all right, although his folder says "Pvt. Mary Minsky" and he said he thought he could get out for being a transvestite.

At the college, the crowds were small. I attended a liberation class held by Prof. Vincent of the Bio Department on how to influence legislators. I took a list of names for a national political action committee.

I met Jeane as she was leaving and I drove her home. There was a rumor that more of those hardhatted construction workers were coming to the college, but none showed up.

The Washington rally was large and non-violent. The ball may be rolling for some sort of general strike. Nixon met with some demonstrators at dawn, but he may revert to Mr. Mean if this thing goes on.

I relaxed, got a suntan and read James Watson's The Double Helix the rest of the afternoon. I got pictures back of [Paul] O'Dwyer [1970 Democratic U.S. Senate candidate and future City Council President] and all came out well.

Tonight I went out and talked with my parents, Lou and Evie, and our neighbor Jerry, who works for the telephone company. Evie tells me that Julie Ulanoff down the block is going to Fort Polk this week [for National Guard basic training]. Maybe I should give him Mark's name.

WBAI gave their excellent coverage of the Washington demonstration again. Free radio like that is good.

This was the week that was.

The next day, Sunday, May 10, was Mother's Day and our diary entry is mostly about going to see our Grandma Ethel in Rockaway and then our Grandma Sylvia at our Aunt Violet's house in Cedarhurst. Our cousin Scott, who went to Lawrence High School, told us "he had been thinking of applying to Kent State, but not anymore." The only other reference to the political situation in our May 10 entry was watching an NBC primetime special called A House Divided.

On Sunday, May 10, the New York Times had a story, "POLITICAL ACTION BY YOUTH IS GOAL; Reports Describe Progress Already Made in East and Future Plans," by William E. Farrell, that began

Representatives of student and faculty organizations at 29 universities met here yesterday to plan strategy for electing antiwar candidates to Congress that they hope will provide "a new trend for college students to get back into the electoral process."

The 875-word article ended with these four paragraphs:

At Brooklyn College, 100 students continued to remain in the office of the president, John W. Kneller, where they have been since the beginning of a student strike on Tuesday.

John W. Kneller, the president of Brooklyn College, issued a statement last night "terminating all classes for the remainder of the semester." College buildings will remain open, he said, to provide student and faculty groups with office space so that they can work for peace.

A fire on the Brooklyn Campus of Long Island University caused damage estimated at $100,000 to the Humanities Building [where we'd teach English from 1975 to 1978]. Twelve firemen were treated for smoke inhalation while fighting the fire. A Fire Department official said the fire was "definitely arson."

The blaze followed the receipt of a letter by the president of the school, Dr. Alexander Aldrich, warning that "fires and firebombs" would be set off on the campus unless the school remained closed indefinitely. The letter was signed "The Stop the War Coalition."

Forty Years Ago Today in Brooklyn: May 8, 1970: Brooklyn College reacts to Kent State

From our diary:

Friday May 8, 1970

And it goes on. Linda and I went to a faculty meeting at Whitman at 10 a.m. Kneller spoke, as did one of the Concerned Faculty and a representative of blacks. Not much was accomplished.

We found Howie in the President's office (now Strike Central) and walked around campus. Jeane Kaskowitz and I went to a workshop. No one knows if people will be sent on campus.

I went to quite a few other meetings during the day - one of marshals [for the Washington march]. Esther is working as a marshal, Sheila is working on the clean-up committee, Mr. Feltmen is on the Concerned Faculty.

I came home for lunch and returned to the college until 5 p.m. The school will be open, but classes are shut "indefinitely." More departments - Chem, Bio, Poli Sci - have supported the strike. All public schools were closed today.

Construction workers beat up students in Wall Street and threw rocks at women protestors. This saddens and angers me and does more than all the peace rhetoric to convince me that the strike is right. On campus, there were a few confrontations with YAF [Young Americans for Freedom], but nothing serious. I wish the stirkers were better organized.

Mom and Dad went to a Neil Simon play tonight. A heavy thunderstorm struck - if only it could wash away all the world's troubles. At Nixon's press conference he was oh so sincere, but it won't help him.

Forty Years Ago Today in Brooklyn: May 7, 1970: Brooklyn College reacts to Kent State

From our diary:

Thursday, May 7, 1970

Another day of protest and turmoil. On campus early, I was chased out of Kneller's office by the strike leaders - the liberators seem to be becoming repressors.

Paul and I went to a liberation class with Jerry Sachs [a sociology professor] and we discussed how this whole movement relates to us as individuals.

Marc's school [James Madison Junior High School] was closed, as were most others, and there was a huge high school rally at the [Whitman] amphitheater. I'm amazed that they're so politically aware.

Michelle Nagel and I went to the Concerned Faculty meeting, then went with José to the mass meeting at Whitman [Auditorium]. I left there and went into LaGuardia and rapped with Esther and a black guy who wore a nameplate saying "outside agitator emeritus."

After lunch, I went to the Sociology Department meeting. Sachs rented a bus to Washington and people bought tickets. After considerable discussion they passed a resolution supporting the strike for the rest of the term.

Tired and somewhat disgusted, I spotted Irma and she drove me home. I took some photos, but everyone gets so touchy about being photographed.

This week, as Sachs said, seems three years long. I don't like not thinking all this through.

Funeral services were held for Jeffrey Miller, one of the dead Kent students. Some people are using the tragedy to further their own causes.

Of all people, Interior Secretary Hickel called on Nixon to "end the war on the young."

The New York Times had a front page story by Linda Charlton, "Activity Stepped Up Here; Students Move Off Campus to Widen Protest Here," which began

The tempo of student protest over United States involvement in Cambodia and the shootings at Kent State University quickened yesterday in the metropolitan area, and the scope of demonstrations broadened, moving off the campus and into the streets as the emphasis shifted from strikes at colleges to activities involving the nonacademic world.

...Even when student demonstrations were agressive, response from college officials was often muted. At Brooklyn College, where 150 students took over the office of the president, John W. Kneller, he responded with a statement announcing the cancellation of classes today and tomorrow "to signify the university community's solidarity in opposition to American involvement in Cambodia and the insensitive disregard for human life evidenced by the incidents at Kent State University."

Forty Years Ago Today in Brooklyn: May 6, 1970: Brooklyn College reacts to Kent State

From our diary:

Wednesday, May 6, 1970

A cold, hairy day. I relaxed for a change this morning. I did pass by Midwood [High School, our alma mater], which was on strike. When I did get on campus after 2 p.m., I went to the office and did some work. We'll have to postpone, or as things turned out, cancel the elections.

Paul and I went to a crammed meeting of concerned faculty who voted to strike indefinitely. The black and Puerto Rican students want the school kept open, however.

I was in the liberated President's office when a bomb threat call was received, and Boylan Hall was evacuated. Meeting were held everywhere: Student Government in SUBO, strike steering committee at Whitman, blacks at Roosevelt.

Kneller called the Concerned teachers "unrepresentative" but called off classes for the rest of the week. We had to lock our office so that it won't be taken over.

Things are pretty confused. Strikes are going on all over the country and there's a Washington demonstration scheduled for this weekend. Various people around the campus that I've been speaking to - Richard Pontone, Esther, Mitch and others - are not sure of what's happening, and neither am I.

Dad's Bronx store [on Fordham Road] was closed due to the Fordham demonstrations.

The New York Times the next day featured a story by McCandlish Phillips, "City High Schools Join in Protests," which began

Demonstrations, protests and boycotts hit at least 20 of the city's 90 public high schools yesterday.

Thousands of students reacted with anguish or anger to the military sweep into Cambodia and to the deaths of four Kent State University students, shot by National Guardsmen at the school on Monday. . .

High schools situated near college campuses were the most heavily affected. . . Lines of pickets from Brooklyn College formed outside Midwood High School in Brooklyn, affecting attendance there. About 1,500 students from Brooklyn Technical High School went to the Long Island University auditorium on the downtown Brooklyn campus, at the invitation of L.I.U. students.

Forty Years Ago Today in Brooklyn: May 5, 1970: Brooklyn College reacts to Kent State

From our diary:

Tuesday, May 5, 1970

A rough day, but these are rough times. When I arrived on campus at 9:00, picket lines were up at every entrance and I knew things were coming. Everyone was furious and bewildered over the Kent State shootings.

I was alternately in my office working and attending the biggest rally I've ever seen at the college. I didn't want to leave the office for too long as the nutty Ricki Morgan (chief virgin on campus) was the only one there.

A strike was called, and although Dr. Kneller called off classes for two hours, he wouldn't support a strike. Suddenly, after the rally, the President's office was taken - there was little resistance.

I walked up there and heard a student tell Kneller, "Sometimes you've got to stick your neck out." The President replied, "If you don't think I'm sticking my neck out, you're crazy."

I called home from Dr. Kneller's phone, stood on his balcony, pilfered some stationery and sat at his desk. It was unbelievable - just like what I've read about it.

I went back to the office and talked and rested with José and Esther Yee, who's a dedicated radical, and I'm going to vote for her and her black running-mate Pamela Craig, although they have no chance. I know so many people now and everybody knows me, even the president of the student body, Phil Greenberg.

Strikes are on at most city colleges and all over the country, too. "Avenge the Kent State 4" was written all over campus. The country is getting out of Nixon's control. Things are very weird.

Forty Years Ago Today in Brooklyn: May 4, 1970: Brooklyn College reacts to Kent State

We've been keeping a daily diary since August 1969. Here is our diary for Monday, May 4, 1970, when we were 18 and in our first year as an undergrad at Brooklyn College. We were in the final weeks of the spring semester and had just been appointed one of the elections commissioners in the BC College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS, daytime undergraduate) student government elections scheduled in a couple of weeks.

We heard the news about the Kent State kilings in the middle of writing this entry, probably from our mom or brothers. The fourth word of this entry, "tragedy," is inserted with a caret because when we began writing it, we were unaware of the news.

We'll post follow-up Kent State-related diary entries in coming days.

Monday, May 4, 1970

A day of [tragedy], hard work and things blowing in the wind. I got to the office to help Paul in getting out the petitions to the various candidates and giving them assistance. Some people I know are running: Rod Cleghorn, Mark Moskovitz, Mitch Pasin, Ralph D. Greenberg, others. I'm getting to know a lot of the people in Student Government, even the candidates for President and V.P.: Alan Ullman, Morris Westfried, Esther Yee, Marty Orland.

I was exhausted by lunchtime, but attended a rally. Pres. Kneller cancelled classes from 11-2 tomorrow in protest over the new escalation [the invasion of Cambodia]. Some students are planning a strike, and I, for one, hope it comes to pass.

In Psych, we saw a film about behavioral therapy with psychotic children. I cut English and went to SUBO and had a coke with Janet. In Science, Prof. Levine discussed chromosomes and DNA.

I just learned that 4 students, 2 of them girls, were shot to death at an antiwar rally at Kent State U. in Ohio by National Guardsmen. This makes me so depressed and angry I can't express myself very well. Repression is setting in, the stock market is tumbling, and the killing in Asia goes on, and nobody seems to care. . .

This week and next are going to be hectic, especially checking the petitions on Wednesday evening.

The New York Times, which featured the Kent State killings on the May 5, 1970 front page, also had a May 5 story inside written before the shooting, "Antiwar Strike Plans in the Colleges Pick Up Student and Faculty Support," by Linda Charlton, which had Monday (pre-Kent State) reports from Yale, Columbia, Rutgers, NYU and CUNY and included this:

At Brooklyn College the student government voted to stage a strike tomorrow. A noon rally was attended by 300 students and the topics discussed included "the failure of open admissions," the Black Panthers, the fee structure and the war."