Robert F. Kennedy
Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana
Marker Inscription
Robert F. Kennedy Speech on Death of Martin L. King : Here on the evening of April, 4 1968, Kennedy came to address a large crowd of mostly African Americans in his bid for Democratic Party nomination for president of the U.S.. Instead, visibly shaken, he gave an impromptu speech about the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. that day in Memphis Tenn. Kennedy urged the crowd to follow Rev. King's lead and respond with understanding and prayer. Citing the need to avoid division, hatred, and violence, he called for love, wisdom, compassion and justice. The speech is credited with keeping Indianapolis calm, while other cities reacted with violence.
Erected by Indiana Historical Bureau and City of Indianapolis
The Story
On the evening of April 4, 1968, Robert F. Kennedy arrived here to campaign before a large, mostly African American crowd during his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination. Learning that Martin Luther King Jr. had been assassinated in Memphis that day, a visibly shaken Kennedy set aside his stump speech and broke the news, urging the crowd to answer with understanding, compassion, and prayer rather than hatred and violence. His words are widely credited with keeping Indianapolis calm while other cities erupted in unrest.
Why it matters
Kennedy's impromptu eulogy stands as one of the most memorable moments of the turbulent 1960s, a plea for reconciliation at the height of the nation's civil rights crisis.
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Related people
- · Robert F. Kennedy
- · Martin Luther King Jr.
Related events
- · Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
Themes & tags
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