on april 4, 1968, united states senator robert f. kennedy of new york delivered an improvised speech several hours after the assassination of martin luther king jr.. kennedy, who was campaigning to earn the democratic party's presidential nomination, made his remarks while in indianapolis, indiana, after speaking at two indiana universities earlier in the day. before boarding a plane to attend campaign rallies in indianapolis, he learned that king had been shot in memphis, tennessee. upon arrival, kennedy was informed that king had died. kennedy himself would be assassinated two months later, while campaigning for presidential nomination at the ambassador hotel in los angeles, california.