In honor of the fiftieth anniversary of Robert Francis Kennedy’s death, an inspiring collection of his most famous speeches accompanied by commentary from notable historians and public figures.

Twenty-five years after Bobby Kennedy was assassinated, RFK: His Words for Our Times, a celebration of Kennedy’s life and legacy, was published to enormous acclaim. Now, a quarter century later, this classic volume has been thoroughly edited and updated. Through his own words we get a direct and intimate perspective on Kennedy’s views on civil rights, social justice, the war in Vietnam, foreign policy, the desirability of peace, the need to eliminate poverty, and the role of hope in American politics.

Here, too, is evidence of the impact of those he knew and worked with, including his brother John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Cesar Chavez, among others. The tightly curated collection also includes commentary about RFK’s legacy from major historians and public figures, among them Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Eric Garcetti, William Manchester, Elie Wiesel, and Desmond Tutu. Assembled with the full cooperation of the Kennedy family, RFK: His Words for Our Times is a potent reminder of Robert Kennedy’s ability to imagine a greater America—a faith and vision we could use today.

IN HONOR OF THE FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF ROBERT KENNEDY’S DEATH, AN INSPIRING COLLECTION OF HIS MOST FAMOUS SPEECHES ACCOMPANIED BY COMMENTARY FROM NOTABLE HISTORIANS AND PUBLIC FIGURES

Twenty-five years after Robert Kennedy was assassinated, RFK: Collected Speeches, a celebration of Kennedy’s life and legacy, was published and immediately became the standard for activists, elected officials, and lovers of language and history. Now, a quarter century later, this classic volume has been thoroughly edited and updated. 

Through his own words we gain a direct and intimate perspective on Kennedy’s views on civil rights and social justice, war and the quest for peace, poverty and the power of work, and the common aspirations that unify us across the divides of race, gender, age, and circumstances. With messages of hope in the midst of a fractured nation and globe, Kennedy’s words speak to our times as strongly as they did to his own, a legacy testified to here by highly individualized reflections from notables, including Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, five Nobel Peace Prize laureates, two Pulitzer Prize winners, the holder of twenty-two Grammy Awards, Fortune magazine’s Businessperson of the Year, and others.

Placed in the context of Kennedy’s life and times, accompanied by a rich selection of photographs (some never before published), and assembled with the cooperation of the Kennedy family, RFK: His Words for Our Times summons Robert Kennedy’s vision of a truly greater America, as compelling now and for our future as it was in his lifetime.

“Remarkable...a book worth getting and reading as well as passing down from one generation to another.”