Back روبرت كينيدي Arabic روبرت كينيدى ARZ Robert Kennedi Azerbaijani رابرت اف. کندی AZB Роберт Фрэнсіс Кенэдзі Byelorussian Робърт Кенеди Bulgarian রবার্ট এফ. কেনেডি Bengali/Bangla Robert F. Kennedy BS Robert Francis Kennedy Catalan Robert Kennedy Czech
Robert F. Kennedy | |
|---|---|
 Kennedy in 1965 | |
| United States Senator from New York | |
| In office January 3, 1965 – June 6, 1968 | |
| Preceded by | Kenneth Keating |
| Succeeded by | Charles Goodell |
| 64th United States Attorney General | |
| In office January 21, 1961 – September 3, 1964 | |
| President | |
| Deputy |
|
| Preceded by | William P. Rogers |
| Succeeded by | Nicholas Katzenbach |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Robert Francis Kennedy November 20, 1925 Brookline, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | June 6, 1968 (aged 42) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Manner of death | Assassination |
| Resting place | Arlington National Cemetery |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 11, including |
| Parents | |
| Relatives | Kennedy family |
| Education | |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Naval Reserve |
| Years of service | 1944–1946 |
| Rank | Seaman apprentice |
| Unit | USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Robert Francis Kennedy (November 20, 1925 – June 6, 1968), also known as RFK, was an American politician and lawyer. He served as the 64th United States attorney general from January 1961 to September 1964, and as a U.S. senator from New York from January 1965 until his assassination in June 1968, when he was running for the Democratic presidential nomination. Like his brothers John F. Kennedy and Ted Kennedy, he was a prominent member of the Democratic Party and is considered an icon of modern American liberalism.[1]
Born into the prominent Kennedy family in Brookline, Massachusetts, Kennedy attended Harvard University, and later received his law degree from the University of Virginia. He began his career as a correspondent for The Boston Post and as a lawyer at the Justice Department, but later resigned to manage his brother John's successful campaign for the U.S. Senate in 1952. The following year, Kennedy worked as an assistant counsel to the Senate committee chaired by Senator Joseph McCarthy. He gained national attention as the chief counsel of the Senate Labor Rackets Committee from 1957 to 1959, where he publicly challenged Teamsters President Jimmy Hoffa over the union's corrupt practices. Kennedy resigned from the committee to conduct his brother's successful campaign in the 1960 presidential election. He was appointed United States attorney general at the age of 35, one of the youngest cabinet members in American history.[2] Kennedy served as John's closest advisor until the latter's assassination in 1963.[3]
Kennedy's tenure is known for advocating for the civil rights movement, the fight against organized crime, and involvement in U.S. foreign policy related to Cuba.[4] He authored his account of the Cuban Missile Crisis in a book titled Thirteen Days. As attorney general, Kennedy authorized the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to wiretap Martin Luther King Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference on a limited basis.[5] After his brother's assassination, he remained in office during the presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson for several months. He left to run for the U.S. Senate from New York in 1964 and defeated Republican incumbent Kenneth Keating, overcoming criticism that he was a "carpetbagger" from Massachusetts.[6][7] In office, Kennedy opposed U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War and raised awareness of poverty by sponsoring legislation designed to lure private business to blighted communities (i.e., Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration project). He was an advocate for issues related to human rights and social justice by traveling abroad to eastern Europe, Latin America, and South Africa, and formed working relationships with Martin Luther King Jr., Cesar Chavez, and Walter Reuther.
In 1968, Kennedy became a leading candidate for the Democratic nomination for the presidency by appealing to poor, African American, Hispanic, Catholic, and young voters.[8] His main challenger in the race was Senator Eugene McCarthy. Shortly after winning the California primary around midnight on June 5, 1968, Kennedy was shot by Sirhan Sirhan, a 24-year-old Palestinian, allegedly in retaliation for his support of Israel following the 1967 Six-Day War. Kennedy died 25 hours later. Sirhan was arrested, tried, and convicted, though Kennedy's assassination, like his brother's, continues to be the subject of widespread analysis and numerous conspiracy theories.[9]
- ^ Tye, Larry (2017). Bobby Kennedy: The Making of a Liberal Icon. New York: Random House. ISBN 978-0-8129-8350-0. OCLC 935987185.
- ^ "Robert Kennedy's Attorney General Office". John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
- ^ "Bobby Kennedy: Is He The Assistant President?". U.S. News & World Report. Archived from the original on December 21, 2016.
- ^ "Declassified Papers Provide New Window into RFK's Role As JFK's Closest Adviser". Archived from the original on March 22, 2019.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Herstwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Nelson, Michael (1998). The Presidency A to Z. Congressional Quarterly. p. 284.
- ^ "From the archives: Bobby claims victory over Keating". New York Daily News. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
- ^ Kahlenberg, Richard (March 16, 2018). "The Inclusive Populism of Robert F. Kennedy". The Century Foundation. Retrieved September 19, 2018.
- ^ Arango, Tim (June 5, 2018). "A Campaign, a Murder, a Legacy: Robert F. Kennedy's California Story". The New York Times. Retrieved September 19, 2018.