A Candidate's Visit - MLK and RFK

Tomorrow marks the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. On April 4th, he was shot once and died. That same day, hours before, Presidential Candidate Robert F. Kennedy came to Indiana and would forever tie together the legacy of these two men and our state.

Bobby Kennedy came to Ball State University that morning - he spoke to a capacity crowd in Irving Gym. If you'd like to read (all) or watch (part) of his speech that day, Ball State has provided some of their resources for your browsing.

Robert F. Kennedy at Ball State University

After leaving campus, shortly before boarding a plane at the Muncie Airport, Kennedy was notified of the tragedy of King's death. He appeared visibly shaken - this was a man who five years previously had lost his brother, our President, to an assassins bullet. The question quickly become, what of the planned event/speech in Indianapolis. In a predominantly black neighborhood.

Kennedy wanted to speak to them - he was determined. Indianapolis Police, along with recently elected (now Senator) Mayor Richard Lugar, refused to go with him or vouch for his safety. They escorted him to the outskirts of the neighborhood, and Kennedy, along with the press and his entourage, setup microphones out of the back of a pickup truck without protection.

What followed was Kennedy's greatest speech - and one of the greatest speeches in American History. Where riots broke out in 26 major U.S. in days to follow, with dozens dieing, hundreds injured - it seems that the words of Robert F. Kennedy calmed the rage, assuaged the fears, and comforted the hearts of Indianapolis.

And since we have the perspective of time passed, we know that Kennedy himself was to be gunned down just three months later.

Watch the video - do your best to ignore the foreign-language subtitles. This is the best version on YouTube - the longest and in color. The end includes the audio of Kennedy's assassination (take it or leave it). But seriously, this speech is impromptu, in the moment - powerful, raw, honest. You will tear up - or at least have a profound experience of chills.

So tomorrow, take a moment to remember the times that have come before.





Also check out this movie, free tomorrow at Madame Walker and to be a part of the Heartland Film Festival (thanks for this JPS): A Ripple of Hope

And - officially, American Rhetoric ranks this speech the 17th greatest in American history.