On April 4, 1968 Sen. Robert F. Kennedy gave an impromptu speech from the back of a flatbed truck in Indianapolis, the night Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated.

Despite being urged to cancel his appearance due to safety concerns, Sen. Kennedy would not be deterred and delivered a moving message urging peace and forgiveness, offered in the midst of violence across the country. His words left a deep impression on all who heard it. The impassioned remarks he delivered became one of the greatest speeches of the 20th century and Kennedy’s call to strive for understanding and peace reverberates today.

• A Ripple of Hope: Discussion Guide

Additionally, the community is invited to view the documentary, “A Ripple of Hope” which is airing on April 4 at 7 p.m. on WFYI 3. Please join us in learning about this moment in time, place in history and promise to the future. A discussion guide will also be available to encourage families and friends to come together in commemoration and have meaningful conversations around what we can do together that we cannot do apart.

Video courtesy Visit Indy

Video courtesy WFYI

About Kennedy King Memorial Initiative

The Kennedy King Memorial Initiative is a voluntary 501(c)3 organization based in Indianapolis that works to commemorate the historic speech delivered by Senator Robert F. Kennedy in Indianapolis on the night that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. The organization’s mission is to keep this unique moment in history alive and to leverage the message of Dr. King and Senator Kennedy to address issues of division and injustice experienced today. With support from the Indiana Pacers Foundation in 1994, an evocative and inspirational memorial sculpture was erected in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Park.

The Kennedy King Memorial Initiative wants to connect with individuals present the night that Robert F. Kennedy spoke to an Indianapolis crowd on April 4, 1968, in what is now Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Park at 17th and Broadway. If you were a witness to the speech in 1968, please call KKMI at 317.667.9341 or email at info@kennedykingindy.org.

Video courtesy State Rep. Gregory Porter

Video courtesy Rep. Susan Brooks

Video courtesy Rep. Andre Carson

Kennedy King Memorial Initiative Background

• The Kennedy King Memorial Initiative’s mission is to keep a unique moment in history alive and to leverage the message of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy to address issues of division and injustice experienced today.
• The Kennedy King Memorial Initiative, also known as KKMI, is a nonprofit organization formed in 2015. KKMI is based in Indianapolis. The organization works to commemorate the historic and renowned speech delivered by Sen. Kennedy in Indianapolis on April 4, 1968; the night Dr. King was assassinated.
• The organization builds on these historical events of April 4, 1968 to raise awareness, provoke thought and inspire action to eliminate division and injustice through the following mechanisms:
  • Creating original programs that teach, support, and inspire
  • Convening candid and courageous conversations
  • Collaborating with organizations that align with our mission
  • Cultivating a strong and vital King Park community

• The Kennedy King Memorial’s biggest events include two annual commemorations held each year in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park located at 17th & Broadway Streets. The events are held on April 4, to commemorate the anniversary of Dr. King’s assassination, and again on June 6, to commemorate the day Robert Kennedy was assassinated just TWO months after Dr. King’s murder. These commemorative events are held at the Landmark for Peace Memorial and are always open to the public and well attended by dignitaries in our community.

Video courtesy the City of Indianapolis

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park & Landmark for Peace Memorial

• Located within Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park at 17th & Broadway, the Landmark for Peace Memorial sculpture, located on the grounds of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park, are an inspiring place to honor Dr. King’s life through a time of reflection, conversation and service to others.
• The Landmark for Peace Memorial was dedicated in 1995 with support from the Pacers Foundation and other members of the community. The ceremony was attended by President Bill Clinton.
• The park campus includes the Landmark for Peace Memorial sculpture which features King and Kennedy reaching out to each other. A new mural, completed during the 2019 National Urban League Annual Conference in partnership with Indianapolis Urban League and its young professionals’ auxiliary, The Exchange, has recently been installed as well. The paint-by-numbers public art mural features portraits of Dr. King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King surrounded by words from Kennedy’s speech, delivered at the park on the night of King’s assassination.
• The park and memorial are FREE to visit and open daily to the public from dawn to dusk. Indy Parks asks that all guests to the park help keep outdoor spaces healthy and safe by practicing social distancing to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.