3. "During his life, he knew far more than his share of personal tragedy, yet he never abandoned his faith in America. He never lost his con- fidence in the spiritual strength of ordinary men and women. He believed in the capacity of the young for excellence - and in the right of the old and poor to a life or dignity. "Our public life is diminished by his loss. "Mrs. Johnson and I extend our deepest sympathy to Mrs. Kennedy and his family. "I have issued a proclamation calling upon our nation to observe a day of mourning for Robert Kennedy." The text of the proclamation is as follows: "To the people of the United States: "A noble and compassionate leader, a good and faithful servant of the people, in the full vigor of his promise, lies dead from an assassassin's bullet." "The tragedy and the senseless violence of Robert F. Kennedy's death casts a deep shadow of grief across America and across the world. This is a moment for all Americans to join hands and walk together through this dark night of common anguish into a new dawn of healing unity." Now, there is a Lyndon B. Johnson, President of the UNITED STATES, do call as all Americans in Observe Sunday next, the ninth day of June, as a day on national mourning in our memory throughout the United States. In our churches, in our homes, and in our hearts let us resolve before and before each other that the purpose of progress and justice for which Robert F.' Kennedy lived endure. "I direct that through Sunday the flag of the united States shall be flow of halfstaff on all buildings, grounds and naval vessels be flown at halfstaff and all buildings. Grounds of naval vessels the United States government and state of Columbia and throughout "I also direct that the flag shall be flown at Halfstaff for the same length of time at the United states embassies, Legations, Consular Offices and other facilities broad including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations. "In witness whereof, I have reruno set my hand this sixth day of June, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and sixteenth and of the Independence of the Unted States of America the one hundred and ninety- ... LINDON B. JOHNSON" second. ... .... LINDION B. JOINSON" We will now rise for one minute of silent prayer for Robert Kennedy and the Kennedy family.

The documents detail the official response to Robert F. Kennedy’s assassination on June 5, 1968, including international condolences transmitted via diplomatic channels and telegrams from countries such as Peru, Japan, Ecuador, Mexico, Brazil, and Portugal. President Lyndon B. Johnson declared June 9, 1968, a national day of mourning for Kennedy, emphasizing the tragedy of his death and calling for unity in remembrance. A separate Italian-language section highlights the political and moral impact of Kennedy’s assassination, framing it as an act against advocates of peace and justice, while referencing his global advocacy for poverty alleviation and inequality reduction. The U.S. Department of State coordinated translations of foreign condolences and administrative handling of replies, with some messages forwarded to American consuls abroad. Diplomatic responses included messages from Jamaica’s Prime Minister Hugh L. Shearer, who attended Kennedy’s funeral in Washington, D.C., and a requiem mass held in Abidjan (Ivory Coast) by Archbishop Monsignor Yago, attended by U.S. officials and local citizens. A letter from Peru’s Consul General Dr. Tomás Gusio y Giole expressed condolences to Kennedy’s family.  

Key People:  
- Lyndon B. Johnson (U.S. President)  
- Robert F. Kennedy (assassinated Senator)  
- Hugh L. Shearer (Jamaican Prime Minister)  
- Monsignor Yago (Ivorian Archbishop)  
- Emilio N. Oribe (Uruguayan Ambassador, Chairman of the Organization of American States)  
- Dean Rusk (U.S. Secretary of State)  
- Anthony E. Starcevic (U.S. Consul General of Peru)  
- Samuel L. King (Deputy Chief of Protocol, Department of State)  
- Dr. Guillermo Molina DeFrance (Minister of Public Health of Ecuador)  
- Senator Manuel Bernardo Agurire (Mexican Senator)  
- Carlos Dajudo (President of the City Council of Porto Seguro, Brazil)  

Key Locations:  
- Washington, D.C. (site of national mourning proclamation and diplomatic responses)  
- Abidjan, Ivory Coast (location of requiem mass for Kennedy)  
- Los Angeles, California (mentioned in a letter to Mr. Gasei)  
- Quito, Ecuador  
- Mexico City, Mexico  
- Porto Seguro, Bahia, Brazil  
- Lisbon, Portugal  

Key Events:  
- National day of mourning declared by President Johnson (June 9, 1968)  
- Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy (May 20, 1968)  
- Requiem mass held in Abidjan for Kennedy  
- Transmission of condolence messages from foreign governments and officials to the U.S. government following Kennedy’s assassination  
- Coordination by the Department of State for translation and formal acknowledgment of condolences  
- Forwarding of messages to American consuls abroad for appropriate replies  
- White House involvement in requesting responses to international condolences  

Key Organizations:  
- Organization of American States (OAS)  
- U.S. Department of State (including Division of Language Services)  
- Office of the Secretary of State  
- White House (via Walter W. Rostow and others)  
- Embassy of Japan, Embassy of Ecuador, and American Consulates in Brazil and Portugal  
- Catholic Church (mention of Archbishop Yago’s service)

RFK Declassified Files

pol_6-2_us_kennedy_06_18_1968_senator_robert_f._kennedy-part_3_of_5.pdf

Document Summary

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