Robert F. Kennedy's speech on the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. facts for kids
Robert F. Kennedy's speech in Indianapolis was a very important moment in American history. On April 4, 1968, Senator Robert F. Kennedy of New York gave a speech in Indianapolis. He spoke just hours after the sad news that Martin Luther King Jr. had been killed.
Kennedy was running to become the Democratic Party's choice for president. He was in Indianapolis for his campaign. Earlier that day, he had spoken at two universities in Indiana. Before flying to Indianapolis, he learned that King had been shot in Memphis, Tennessee. When his plane landed, he found out that King had died. Sadly, Kennedy himself was killed two months later while campaigning for president.
Even though people worried about riots and his safety, Kennedy decided to go to a rally. This rally was in a part of Indianapolis where many African-American people lived. That evening, he spoke to the crowd. Many people there had not yet heard about King's death. Instead of a normal campaign speech, Kennedy gave a short, powerful speech about peace. This speech is now seen as one of the most important public speeches of modern times.
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Kennedy's Day Before the Speech
Before his Indianapolis speech, Kennedy spoke at two universities. He visited the University of Notre Dame and Ball State University in Indiana. His talks focused on problems in America, like poverty and racism. He also spoke about the Vietnam War.
At Notre Dame, about 5,000 people listened to Kennedy. He talked about poverty and the need for better jobs. He also said that draft laws were unfair. He believed that college students should not get special treatment. This was because it hurt those who could not afford college.
His speech at Ball State was also very popular. More than 9,000 students and teachers listened. An African-American student asked Kennedy a question. It was almost like he knew what was going to happen later that day. The student asked if Kennedy's faith in white America was fair. Kennedy said "Yes." He also added that faith in black America was fair too. He said there were "extremists on both sides."
Before flying to Indianapolis, Kennedy heard that Martin Luther King Jr. had been shot. On the plane, he told a reporter he was sad. He had just told that student about faith, and then a white man shot their leader. Kennedy did not know King was dead until he landed in Indianapolis. A reporter said Kennedy looked shocked and put his hands to his face. He said, "Oh, God. When is this violence going to stop?"
In Indianapolis, the news of King's death worried Kennedy's team and city leaders. They feared for his safety and thought there might be riots. After talking to reporters, Kennedy went straight to the rally. A crowd was already waiting to hear him speak. Kennedy's team quickly wrote some notes for him. But Kennedy used his own notes, which he likely wrote on the way. The police chief warned Kennedy that they could not protect him if a riot started. But Kennedy decided to speak anyway. He stood on a flatbed truck and spoke for less than five minutes.
Key Messages of the Indianapolis Speech
Kennedy started his speech by telling the crowd that King had been killed. He was the first person to share this news publicly with them. Many people in the audience screamed and cried. Some of Kennedy's helpers worried that this news would cause a riot.
Once the crowd quieted down, Kennedy spoke about the sadness and anger King's death could bring. He reminded everyone that King worked to stop violence. King wanted to replace bloodshed with understanding, kindness, and love. Kennedy knew many in the crowd would be angry. This was especially true because people thought a white man had killed King.
Kennedy shared his own pain by talking about his brother. His brother, President John F. Kennedy, was also killed by a white man. Kennedy's team was surprised because he had never spoken about his brother's death in public before. He then quoted an old Greek writer named Aeschylus. Kennedy had learned about Aeschylus from his brother's wife, Jacqueline Kennedy. He said, "Even in our sleep, pain which cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart until, in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom through the awful grace of God."
Kennedy then said some of his most famous words: "What we need in the United States is not division; what we need in the United States is not hatred; what we need in the United States is not violence or lawlessness, but is love and wisdom, and compassion toward one another, and a feeling of justice towards those who still suffer within our country, whether they be white or whether they be black."
To end his speech, Kennedy said he believed the country needed unity. He wanted black and white people to come together. He asked everyone to "dedicate ourselves to what the Greeks wrote so many years ago: to tame the savageness of man and to make gentle the life of this world." He finished by asking the audience to pray for the country and its people. Instead of getting angry, the crowd cheered and then left quietly.
What Happened After the Speech
About 2,500 people were in the crowd that night in Indianapolis. Kennedy's speech helped his image in Indiana. Indianapolis stayed calm that night. Many people believe this was because of his speech.
In other cities across the U.S., things were very different. Riots broke out in over one hundred cities. These included Chicago, New York City, Boston, and Detroit. Thirty-five people died, and more than 2,500 were hurt. About 70,000 army and National Guard troops were called in to stop the violence.
William Crawford, who was close to Kennedy during the speech, said it stopped riots in Indianapolis. He told a newspaper in 2015, "Look at all those other cities." He added, "I believe it would have gone that way (in Indianapolis) had not Bobby Kennedy given those remarks."
The next day, Kennedy gave another speech in Cleveland, Ohio. This speech, called "On the Mindless Menace of Violence", was prepared. It talked about some of the same ideas he mentioned in Indianapolis.
The Speech's Lasting Impact
This speech is seen as one of the greatest in American history. Experts ranked it 17th among American speeches of the 20th century.
Former U.S. Congressman Joe Scarborough said it was Kennedy's best speech. He said it made him want to work in public service. Journalist Joe Klein called it "politics in its grandest form." He also said it marked the end of an era before political life became too focused on polls.
In 1995, the Landmark for Peace Memorial was built in Indianapolis. It is in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park, near where Kennedy gave his speech. The memorial has sculptures of both King and Kennedy.
In 2019, the Library of Congress chose the audio of the speech for its National Recording Registry. This means it is important for culture, history, or art.
See also
In Spanish: Discurso de Robert F._Kennedy sobre el asesinato de Martin Luther King para niños
