41,000 Plus 4 (The Ballad of the Kent State Massacre)

Annotation — Kent / Jackson State Songs

The song "41,000 Plus 4 (The Ballad of the Kent State Massacre)" by Ruth Warrick took a strong anti-war position, attacking the US Congress and the president. She referenced the the Kent State shootings, Jackson State killings, and the Augusta, Georgia race riot. The title refered to the number of US combat deaths in Vietnam at the time of release, in 1970, plus the four student killed in Ohio. The total number would eventually rise to over 58,000. (1) Warrick (1915-2005), born in St. Joseph, Missouri, starred in over 30 Hollywood films in the 1940s and 50s, such as Citizen Kane. (2) She took an active role on political and social issues in the 60s and 70s, including on the Vietnam War, resulting in this single. She worked and helped to promote Operation Bootstrap, a Los Angeles cooperative economic development agency, which aimed to make African-Americans economically self-sufficient. (3) Entertainment World reported in 1970 (Volume 2, Part 2) that: "The Ballad of the Kent State Massacre, or 41,000 Plus 4 has been released as a single by actress / singer Ruth Warrick as her contribution to the May 27 strike for peace. Miss Warrick, co-founder of the Operation Bootstrap project in…

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Annotation — Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs

The song "41,000 Plus 4 (The Ballad of the Kent State Massacre)" by Ruth Warrick took a strong anti-war position, attacking the US Congress and the president. She referenced the the Kent State shootings, Jackson State killings, and the Augusta, Georgia race riot. The title refered to the number of US combat deaths in Vietnam at the time of release, in 1970, plus the four student killed in Ohio. The total number would eventually rise to over 58,000. (1) Warrick (1915-2005), born in St. Joseph, Missouri, starred in over 30 Hollywood films in the 1940s and 50s, such as Citizen Kane. (2) She took an active role on political and social issues in the 60s and 70s, including on the Vietnam War, resulting in this single. She worked and helped to promote Operation Bootstrap, a Los Angeles cooperative economic development agency, which aimed to make African-Americans economically self-sufficient. (3)Entertainment World reported in 1970 (Volume 2, Part 2) that: "The Ballad of the Kent State Massacre, or 41,000 Plus 4 has been released as a single by actress / singer Ruth Warrick as her contribution to the May 27 strike for peace. Miss Warrick, co-founder of the Operation Bootstrap project in…

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

About the artist

born in St. Joseph, Missouri, starred in over 30 Hollywood films in the 1940s and 50s, such as Citizen Kane

Themes

Anti-War · Kent State · Jackson State · Augusta Riot · Civil Rights · Nixon · Agnew

In collections

Kent / Jackson State Songs · Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs