On June 5, 1968, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, who had just secured victory in the Democratic presidential primary, was shot moments after delivering a speech. He died the following day at 42 years of age, shattering America’s hopes.
As Attorney General during his brother John F. Kennedy’s presidency, Robert F. Kennedy championed civil rights and fought organized crime. After his brother’s sudden death, he persevered, continuing his political career by winning a seat in the U.S. Senate representing New York.
In 1968, Kennedy announced his presidential bid, presenting a vision to unite a divided U.S. and tackle poverty and racial discrimination. He garnered overwhelming support from African Americans, minorities, and low-income individuals, emerging as a beacon of hope for these communities.
Kennedy won the California Democratic primary on June 4, 1968. In the early hours of June 5, around 12:15 a.m., after his victory speech at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, he attempted to exit through the kitchen. At that moment, Sirhan Sirhan, a Palestinian refugee lying in wait, opened fire with a .22 caliber revolver.
Kennedy was shot in the head and collapsed. Despite being rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery, he died at approximately 1:44 a.m. on June 6, 1968. The apprehended Sirhan claimed he acted because of Kennedy’s pro-Israel stance. He received a life sentence and remains in prison to this day.
This tragedy, part of the Kennedy family’s ill-fated legacy, deeply shocked and saddened the American public. Kennedy’s assassination, along with those of John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr., symbolizes a dark chapter in U.S. history, reflecting the turbulent and tragic events that defined the 1960s.