Founded by the reporters who covered Robert F. Kennedy's historic 1968 presidential campaign, the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Awards honor outstanding reporting on issues that reflect Robert Kennedy's concerns, including human rights, social justice, and the power of individual action in the United States and around the world. Winning entries in 13 categories provide insights into the causes, conditions, and remedies of human rights violations and injustice, and critical analyses of relevant policies, programs, individual actions, and private endeavors that foster positive change. 

The Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Awards are among the few in which winners are determined by their peers. Past winners include The Washington Post, National Public Radio, CBS's 60 Minutes, ABC's 20/20, and HBO.