49 years ago tonight, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis. With many grieving cities across the nation in chaos, Robert Kennedy calmed a gathered crowd in Indianapolis with an historic speech. It was only a few minutes long, but the impromptu address continues to be a part of this city's lore:
RFK's speech is credited with helping Indianapolis avoid the post-assassination riots that raged in sixty different U.S. cities. Kennedy himself was assassinated just a few weeks later. He and Dr. King are forever immortalized on the near northside of town with the Landmark For Peace Memorial:
Take a few moments today to remember two iconic leaders, gone far too soon, who will forever have a special place in Indianapolis history.