Robert F Kennedy net worth was approximately $100 million in today’s dollars when he was tragically assassinated in 1968, reflecting his political and family legacy.
Early Life and Education
Robert Francis Kennedy was born on November 20, 1925, in Brookline, Massachusetts, as the seventh child of Joseph and Rose Kennedy. Raised in affluence and privilege, he attended elite institutions such as St. Paul’s, Portsmouth Priory, and Milton Academy. After serving in the U.S. Naval Reserve, Kennedy graduated from Harvard with a degree in political science and later earned his law degree from the University of Virginia in 1951.
Legal Beginnings and Early Political Work
After law school, Kennedy began his career in the Department of Justice’s Internal Security Division. He later worked on his brother John F. Kennedy’s Senate campaign and joined the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, where he clashed with Senator Joseph McCarthy. His role as chief counsel in the Senate Rackets Committee from 1957 to 1959 brought him national attention for taking on corrupt labor unions, especially the Teamsters and Jimmy Hoffa.
U.S. Attorney General
Appointed by his brother John in 1961, Robert became one of the youngest U.S. Attorneys General in history. In that role, he fiercely fought organized crime, increasing convictions by 800%, and advocated for civil rights reform. However, his decision to authorize the FBI to wiretap Martin Luther King Jr. later sparked criticism.
Kennedy also played significant roles in foreign policy, especially during the Cuban Missile Crisis and Berlin tensions. His book Thirteen Days later chronicled the crisis.
U.S. Senator from New York
In 1964, Kennedy won a Senate seat in New York. During his tenure, he championed poverty alleviation, racial justice, and gun control. He supported redevelopment projects in struggling communities like Bedford-Stuyvesant and used his platform to oppose the Vietnam War and push for human rights as a pillar of U.S. foreign policy.
The 1968 Presidential Campaign
Kennedy launched his campaign for the presidency in March 1968, just after President Lyndon B. Johnson announced he would not run for re-election. With a platform focused on civil rights, social justice, and ending the war in Vietnam, Kennedy gained momentum, winning primaries in Indiana, Nebraska, South Dakota, and California.
Assassination and Tragic Death
On June 5, 1968, just after delivering a victory speech in Los Angeles, Robert F. Kennedy was shot by Sirhan Sirhan. He died early the next morning at the age of 42. His death marked the second assassination of a Kennedy brother within five years and left a lasting wound on American politics.
Family and Personal Life
Robert married Ethel Skakel in 1950, and together they had 11 children. The Kennedy family lived in Hickory Hill, a Virginia estate later sold in 2009 for $8.25 million. Despite a life of privilege, Kennedy was known for his deep empathy and ability to connect with working-class Americans.
Kennedy was married to Ethel Skakel from 1950 until his passing. Together, they had 11 children: Kathleen, Joseph, Robert Kennedy Jr., David, Mary Courtney, Michael, Mary Kerry, Christopher, Matthew, Douglas, and Rory. Kennedy and Skakel spent most of their time at the Hickory Hill estate in McLean, Virginia. In 2009, Skakel sold the property for $8.25 million.
How Robert F. Kennedy Built His Wealth
Although Robert F. Kennedy’s official estate at the time of death was worth $14 million, inflation-adjusted, his fortune equals roughly $100 million today. His wealth was tied to:
- Family investments and trusts from the Kennedy fortune
- Political and legal career earnings
- Book deals and writing contributions
- Real estate holdings like the Hickory Hill estate
Legacy
Robert F. Kennedy’s name remains a symbol of justice, courage, and reform. His net worth is only a small part of a much greater legacy—one that continues to inspire generations committed to social change.
