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This Day in American History

June 5

1 historic event on this date

Historical1968

Robert F. Kennedy Assassinated

Senator Robert F. Kennedy was shot at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles after winning the California Democratic presidential primary, and died the following day. His assassination, coming two months after Martin Luther King Jr.'s murder, deepened the nation's grief and turmoil.

Why It Matters

Kennedy's assassination underscored the violence that marked 1968 as one of the most tumultuous years in American civic life, raising urgent questions about political violence and the health of democratic discourse.

Explore the Principles Behind the History

Every event in American history connects to the founding principles. Discover the ideas that shaped these moments.

View the 28 Founding Principles