Robert Kennedy Research Paper

Robert Kennedy: The Adaptable, Compassionate American Politician

In the late 20th century, the United States was going through profound change and Americans were faced with criminal injustice, racial controversy, and national crises. Robert Kennedy was born on November 20th, 1925 in Brookline, Massachusetts and died by assassination on June 6th, 1968 in Los Angeles, California. Robert Kennedy served as chief counsel of the U.S. Senate Rackets Committee (1957-1960). As 1960 settled in, he helped to handle the presidential campaign for John F. Kennedy, which strengthen his growing reputation as one of the toughest men in American politics. From 1961 to 1964, Robert Kennedy served as the United States Attorney General. Robert F. Kennedy has influenced

His efforts in organized crimes helped to build up his reputation. Kennedy “made a reputation for his ruthless and sometimes overzealous pursuit...of the Teamster’s Union” (“Attorney General”) and was “appalled by the violence and corruption associated with this Mafia-related activity, relentlessly fought a virtual war against that criminal element, focusing on corrupt Teamster Union presidents” (“Kennedy”). His tough-mindedness made an imprint in the organized crime investigations and build upon his growing reputation as a leader. Eventually, Kennedy became attorney general and “adopted the rationale that the ends justify the means” (“Kennedy”). With Kennedy’s help, the Justice Department of organized crimes improved. He increased the size of the Organized Crime and Racketeering Section and “brought in aggressive, tough-minded people willing to use all legal options to the fullest” (“Kennedy”). His efforts helped to the resolution of organized crimes and “the department compiled a list of twelve hundred suspected racketeers and then investigated them for criminal violations”

Kennedy fought for the Civil rights of African-Americans. Kennedy chose people for the Justice Department and Supreme Court that pushed America in the path of equality and stability. His outstanding selections were Archibald Cox to be solicitor general and Bryon White and Arthur J. Goldberg for the Supreme Court. Robert Kennedy both stepped back for his appointees to take charge and took charge of cases himself. For example, the attorney general saw an unfairness in the political power between urban and rural voters, but Kennedy ensured the entire department “made no direct appeal...as to the position Cox should take” (Edelman). Kennedy took on Gray V. Sanders, a case involved with candidates winning regardless of popular vote, himself. With no notes, the attorney general appeared at the lectern and won. On an almost daily basis, Robert Kennedy “had become a leading spokesman for civil rights in the Kennedy administration” (“Kennedy”). He once said, “We cannot abandon the young Negro to this kind of leadership, or let the voice of his protest turn into such despair” (Kennedy, 27) and proclaimed “For history has placed us all, black and white, within a common border and under a common law” (27). Kennedy believed everyone’s vote counted equally and aided the Freedom Riders who protested a desegregated bus in Montgomery by employing federal marshals to stop the violence. Robert Kennedy contributed to the desegregation of universities and was an advocate for equal