Five Days in May: Student Unrest at Eastern Michigan University, 1966 to 1972

In the Fall of 2022, Matt Jones’s Oral History Techniques class conducted a set of interviews documenting the stories behind the student unrest on Eastern Michigan University’s campus from 1966-1972. Caught up in the Civil Rights Movement, anti-war protests, women’s liberation, fights for student rights, and a hometown serial killer, EMU found its place within the greater cultural shifts taking place on college campuses across the country. The narrators taking part in this project range from student activists, to administrators, to police officers, each providing a unique perspective in this story. Five Days in May reflects a period of time in EMU’s history where the campus made sure its voices were heard.

Oral Histories

Oral Histories recorded with former students, administrators, and police officers involved with student activism at EMU.

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Eastern Echo Photo Negatives, 1968-1970

Explore the University Archive's collection of digitized photo negatives from 1968 to 1970

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Supporting Documents

Explore the University Archive’s collection of former University President Harold E. Sponberg’s papers and underground student publications.

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