Robert F. Kennedy’s youthful energy, moral vision, and capacity to lead created momentum for change. As Patricia Sullivan explores in her book “Justice Rising,” while the lives of both Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King have achieved iconic stature, the historical significance and contemporary relevance of both men, “lives in their actions and the evolution of their ideas. Their faith in the capacity of democracy to advance a just, equitable, and humane society, while severely tested, was not defeated.”

This is the work that we continue today.

Grounded in the legacy of Robert Kennedy and his transformative leadership, we hold governments accountable, engage business to align with human rights norms, train the next generation of leaders, and celebrate agents of change in order to fulfill the charge he gave us in 1968 to “dedicate ourselves to what the Greeks wrote so many years ago, ‘to tame the savageness of man and make gentle the life of the world.’”

Read Robert F. Kennedy’s Full Address To The Friendly Sons Of St. Patrick Dinner

March 17, 1964 in Scranton, PA.


The Life and Legacy of Robert F. Kennedy


Robert F. Kennedy: A Brief Biography

New year, new us. Same mission.

Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights is rebranding to honor the legacy of our founder and hero, Mrs. Ethel Skakel Kennedy. From now on, we will proudly be known as the Robert & Ethel Kennedy Human Rights Center

While our name is changing, our mission and work remain the same. We will continue to fight injustice, advance human rights, and hold governments accountable around the world in 2026 and beyond.