Robert F. Kennedy

Robert F. Kennedy, commonly known as Bobby and RFK, was a pivotal figure in 20th‑century American politics, renowned for his fierce advocacy of civil rights, social justice, and the fight against organized crime. Born on November 20, 1925 in Brookline, Massachusetts, he grew up in the influential Kennedy family, the seventh of nine children of Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. and Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, and was often described by his brother John as the “runt” who had to struggle to survive in a household dominated by ambition. After serving briefly in the United States Naval Reserve during World II, he earned an AB from Harvard and an LLB from the University of Virginia, launching a career that spanned journalism, law, and political consulting. His early work as a correspondent for The Boston Post took him to Europe and the Middle East, where he reported on the Berlin Blockade and the tensions in Palestine, experiences that sharpened his global perspective. In the 1950s Kennedy gained national attention as chief counsel to the Senate Labor Rackets Committee, where his relentless interrogation of Teamsters President Jimmy Hoffa earned him a reputation as a tough crusader against corruption. Appointed United States Attorney General in 1961 at age 35, he became one of the youngest cabinet members in history, overseeing major initiatives on civil‑rights enforcement, the expansion of the Justice Department’s civil rights division, and a coordinated federal assault on the Mafia that raised organized‑crime convictions by 800 percent. He also played a key diplomatic role during the Cuban Missile Crisis, helping to negotiate the secret agreement that averted nuclear war. Following his brother President John F. Kennedy’s assassination in 1963, Robert continued to serve in the Johnson administration before winning a U.S. Senate seat from New York in 1964, despite accusations of carpet‑bagging. As a senator he championed poverty‑relief programs such as the Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation, advocated for gun‑control legislation, and traveled abroad to highlight human‑rights abuses in South Africa and Latin America. His 1968 presidential campaign attracted a broad coalition of African‑American, Hispanic, Catholic, and youth voters, positioning him as a beacon of hope for a more equitable America. Tragically, his life was cut short when he was assassinated on June 6 1968 in Los Angeles, ending the career of a leader whose legacy of compassion and reform continues to inspire generations.