Rhetorical Situation of Robert F. Kennedy Speech

Robert F. Kennedy was on his presidential campaign when he heard of the news of Martin Luther King Jr.'s tragic and sudden death on April 4, 1968.  Instead of backing out of speaking to a large crowd in Indianapolis, Indiana, Kennedy decided to address this predominately African-American community on the prestige of their adored leader.  It was a general shock to the audience when Kennedy announced to them that MLK was assassinated earlier that day, as news was not as instantaneous in the 1960's as it is today.  Although he feared riots and violence would result from such tragic news, he risked his safety to advocate a peaceful and non-violent approach that King was celebrated for.  The 1960's, as many people have come to realize, was a period of great turmoil as civil rights groups promoted equality under the law.  King rose as a champion for nonviolent protest through tactics like sit ins and the 1963 March on Washington, arising to be an equal among other prominent leaders of the time such as John and Robert Kennedy.  Through these methods, King acquired utmost respect, so much to the extent that Robert Kennedy applied these foundational ideas throughout the speech to the audience, hoping to pass on the legacy King had created.  The speech, albeit short, kept Indianapolis in a surprisingly calm state compared to the numerous riots that broke out in other major metropolitan areas.  But probably the most  unforgettable irony of this event came with the fact that Kennedy was shot just a mere two months later after endorsing a nonviolent United States.
Natasha Virjee