Robert F. Kennedy
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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 20, 1961 - September 3, 1964
President: John F. Kennedy / Lyndon B. Johnson
Preceded by: William P. Rogers
Succeeded by: Nicholas Katzenbach
Personal details
Born: Robert Francis Kennedy
November 20, 1925
Brookline, Massachusetts
Died: June 6, 1968 (agedÊ42)
Los Angeles, California
Resting place: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia
Nationality: American
Political party: Democratic
Spouse: Ethel Skakel
Relations: Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. (father), Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy (mother), Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. (brother), John F. Kennedy (brother), Ted Kennedy (brother)
Alma mater: Harvard College (A.B.), University of Virginia School of Law (LL.B.)
Religion: Roman Catholic
Military service
Service/branch: United States Navy Reserve
Years of service: 1944 - 1946
Rank: Seaman Apprentice
Unit: U.S.S. Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr.
Battles/wars: World War II
Robert Francis ''Bobby'' Kennedy (November 20, 1925 - June 6, 1968), also referred to by his initials RFK, was an American politician, a Democratic senator from New York, and a noted civil rights activist. An icon of modern American liberalism and member of the Kennedy family, he was a younger brother of President John F. Kennedy and acted as one of his advisors during his presidency. From 1961 to 1964, he was the U.S. Attorney General.
Following his brother John's assassination on November 22, 1963, Kennedy continued to serve as Attorney General under President Lyndon B. Johnson for nine months. In September 1964, Kennedy resigned to seek the U.S. Senate seat from New York, which he won in November. Within a few years, he publicly split with Johnson over the Vietnam War.
In March 1968, Kennedy began a campaign for the presidency and was a front running candidate of the Democratic Party. In the California presidential primary on June 4, Kennedy defeated Eugene McCarthy, a U.S. Senator from Minnesota. Following a brief victory speech delivered just past midnight on June 5 at The Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, Kennedy was shot by Sirhan Sirhan. Mortally wounded, he survived for nearly 26 hours, dying early in the morning of June 6.
