In our class we have recently had the privilege to listen to Robert F. Kennedy's speech in Indianapolis, Indiana, announcing to the heavily African-American crowd that Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. We were also so privileged to view some of the images recorded on April 4th, 1968. This combination of sound and image was very powerful and truly captured the essence, the sincerity, the true feeling of those moments in time.
Robert F. Kennedy was also a very learned man, and his ability to express himself through words shown through during his announcement to the masses. His word choice, diction, and fluidity of speech were beautiful and helped capture his sincere feelings and express them towards the large crowd who was being blindsided with this publication of news.
His immediate statement was informing the crowd about the assassination of the great man who wanted equality, and when the crowds responded with screams of utter disbelief, he calmed them. A white man from an upscale family managed to comfort and calm this large gathering of mainly African-American people.
He did this by speaking and connecting with them. Immediately after the crowd responded with near pandemonium, he said, "Martin Luther King dedicated his life to love and to justice for his fellow human beings, and he died because of that effort." This helped a lot because it brought many to the quick realization that Martin Luther King Jr. did not die in vain, but in fighting for a cause that was valuable to all of them.
His next statement was, "In this difficult day, in this difficult time for the United States, it is perhaps well to ask what kind of a nation we are and what direction we want to move in. For those of you who are black -- considering the evidence their evidently is that there were white people who were responsible -- you can be filled with bitterness, with hatred, and a desire for revenge.