On April 4, 1968, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., arrived in Indiana to campaign for the Indiana Democratic presidential primary. As Kennedy boarded his flight from an appearance in Muncie to Indianapolis, he learned that civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., had been shot outside his hotel in Memphis, Tennessee. While on the plane, Kennedy heard the news that King had died. Despite warnings from Indianapolis police that they could not guarantee Kennedy's safety, and brushing off concerns from his own staff, Kennedy decided to proceed with plans to address an outdoor rally to be held in the heart of the city's African American community. On that cold and windy evening, Kennedy broke the news of King's death in an impassioned, extemporaneous speech on the need for compassion in the face of violence. It has proven to be one of the great speeches in American political history.
This compelling book reveals what brought the politician to Indiana that day and explores the characters and events of the 1968 Indiana Democratic presidential primary in which the underdog Kennedy had a decisive victory.

On the 40th anniversary of his assassination, the story behind Robert F. Kennedy's campaign for the Indiana Democratic presidential primary

About the Author

Ray E. Boomhower is the author of John Bartlow Martin: A Voice for the Underdog (IUP, 2015) and The People's Choice: Congressman Jim Jontz of Indiana. He is Senior Director of the Indiana Historical Society Press, where he edits Traces of Indiana and Midwestern History

Reviews

You do not have to be from Indiana to read this book. Insights on politics and electioneering in the United States abound.

* H-Net Reviews *

Well-written and handsomely packaged in the style of Kennedy's campaign flyers, Robert F. Kennedy and the 1968 Indiana Primary will likely stand as the definitive historical account of that contest. . . . this book is a solid scholarly contribution to the continued debate over the significance of Kennedy's presidential candidacy . . .

* Register of the Kentucky Historical Society *

This book is a must-read for anyone interested in presidential politics.

* Indiana Magazine of History *

Boomhower's book provides a good account of the Indiana primary, an account that is at its best as history. It makes very good use of archival materials, blending primary and secondary sources into a compelling narrative. The narrative itself is rich with detail and deepens our understanding of several key aspects of the campaign.

* Rhetoric and Public Affairs *

Boomhower's account of the 1968 Indiana primary is a highly readable monograph that contextualizes the campaign quite well. . . . The book is a valuable contribution to RFK scholarship and sheds new light on the inner workings of one of Kennedy's most important political endeavors.

* Presidential Studies Quarterly *



Book Information
ISBN 9780253350893
Author Ray E. Boomhower
Format Hardback
Page Count 192
Imprint Indiana University Press
Publisher Indiana University Press
Weight(grams) 513g