A Ripple of Hope
| Year | 2010 |
| Director(s) | Donald Boggs |
| Rating | Unrated |
| Genre(s) | Documentary |
| Runtime | 55 min |
| Editor(s) | Chris Witt |
On April 4, 1968, the day Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated, Robert Kennedy was in the midst of a presidential campaign that was attempting to bridge the racial and economic divisions. As word of the assassination spread, riots and fires erupted in cities across the nation. Though urged to cancel a rally before a mixed crowd in the inner city of Indianapolis, Robert Kennedy refused. The threat of violence was very real. But the few, simple words he spoke that night are credited with creating a sense of calm that averted violence during chaotic days following Dr. King’s death.
A Ripple of Hope played at the 2008 Heartland Film Festival in the Official Selections Sidebar.
Sample Discussion Guide Questions:
After watching A Ripple of Hope, discuss some of the racial struggles that were present in 1968 that are not present today. What racial struggles still persist today, more than 40 years later? Are there new struggles today that didn’t exist 40 years ago? What are they?
As Robert F. Kennedy stands before a crowd on the verge of a riot, what do you believe was the most important part of his speech? What do you believe most resonated with those gathered? Why?