Here’s a brief look back in time for this day, May 4.
In 1886, a bomb explodes in the middle of Haymarket Square in Chicago during a peaceful protest. This followed the death of two demonstrators and hundreds more injured at the hands of Chicago police. The protestors mostly consisted of German and Bohemian-born migrants who demanded fair wages compared to their American counterparts. The aftermath of the Haymarket Riots left eight dead, dozens injured, and hundreds arrested. To this day, no-one knows who threw the dynamite bomb.
In 1970, four students were killed and nine others were injured as members of the Ohio National Guard began shooting anti-war protestors at Kent State University. The rally was formed to oppose further expansion into Cambodia during the Vietnam War, where universities and colleges across the country joined in dissent against the U.S. government. As students began throwing objects at the guardsmen, bullets were fired in exchange without a warning shot.
In 1979, the first recorded instance of “May the Fourth be with you” is uttered. This was intended to be a play of words in support of Margaret Thatcher, who at this point was about to be elected as the UK’s first female prime minister. At this point, Star Wars: A New Hope was the only movie to have been released, but the franchise had already made a significant impact on movie culture.