Do You Know Who The Girl In The Photo Is???????????????

                                Nearly everyone, especially those of us of a Certain Age, know this famous photograph, known as the Kent State Photo, which was shot on the campus of said university, back on May 4, 1970.  Let's see....at that time, I was 15, and just a freshman in high school.  I recall seeing the photo, as much as anyone else, at the time, and I originally thought the girl was some student at the university. But it turned out to be more complicated than that.  Not only was she not a student, she very close to my age!!!!!!!!

                                Mary Ann Vecchio was born on December 4, 1955. And, yes, she is still alive, occasionally speaking out on the importance of the historical event she was thrust into!!!!!  At the time of her becoming an historic icon--unplanned, naturally--she was a 14-year-old runaway , from Opa-locka, Florida.  Who could blame her, with a town, named like that???

                                  It was while joining in a protest on the Kent State campus that day, where she made friends with two students, Sandra Scheuer, and  Alan Canfora.  Shcuer was tragically killed, like the one Vecchio is kneeling over, Jeffrey Miller.  Canfora was injured, but survived.

                                     While expressing her natural social outrage, Vecchio was snapped by photographer, and photojournalism student, John Filo.  Both achieved immortality--Vecchio's image is iconic, while Filo went on to win the Pulitzer Prize.  When one looks back to America of the Sixties, the image always comes up--in lectures, documentary films, anywhere and anytime that decade is discussed.

                                        So, what brings it up now?  Well, yesterday, with my beloved Monsieur, and those two, fun loving kids, Dan and Norma, we visited the War Photography Exhibit, at the Brooklyn Museum, and the photo was featured.

                                           I have to confess. Back in 1970, besides thinking the girl was a student there, I thought it was one of my then classmates, Janet Weinberg!!!!!!!!  It would not surprise me, had it been!  Janet was always on the thrust of social activism herself, and has distinguished herself as such in NYC's LGBT community, and continues to do so!  I even thought the image resembled Janet, at the time!

                                             Alas, it was not.  But I am glad the photo was included in the war exhibit.
The war that was being protested, that in Viet Nam, was not just waged on their soil, but on American terrain, as well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                 The image stands as a testament to that time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!