On November 20 2010, Robert (Bobby) Kennedy would have celebrated his 85 birthday. As a young teen, I saw him ride though our town in the back of a very large pick-up truck. The truck bed was surrounded by a wooden barrier…not much protection for a potential candidate who might become the next President of the United States. I could see him so clearly from where I was standing on the curb. It was a thrilling moment for me! I watched as he bent down to shake hands with those surrounding the truck…wishing that I was closer and taller. I was lucky that day…I caught one of the posters that were being tossed out to the crowds from the truck via his campaign staff. I still have it to this day. A treasure from a memory gone by…

On the night of his assassination, my parents were at his celebration event at the Ambassador Hotel, in Los Angeles. They heard the gun shots and were devastated by what they later experienced. I was home taking care of my siblings…I will never forget that night.

This is a great short read by Steve Lopez, reporter for the LA Times. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/11/steve-lopez-robert-kennedy-assassinated.html

What a great jumping off point this would be for a high school, or college history, or social science class. Looking back at how the past shapes our future.

What if Bobby Kennedy had not been assassinated?