Claim: Robert F. Kennedy began his political career in Massachusetts.

Robert Francis `` Bobby '' Kennedy -LRB- November 20 , 1925 -- June 6 , 1968 -RRB- , commonly known by his initials RFK , was an American politician from Massachusetts . He served as the United States junior senator from New York from January 1965 until his assassination in June 1968 . He was previously the 64th U.S. Attorney General from January 1961 to September 1964 , serving under his older brother President John F. Kennedy and his successor , President Lyndon B. Johnson . Kennedy was a member of the Democratic Party , and is seen as an icon of modern American liberalism .   After serving in the United States Naval Reserve as a Seaman Apprentice from 1944 to 1946 , Kennedy graduated from Harvard University and the University of Virginia . He began his political career in Massachusetts as the manager for his brother John 's successful campaign for the U.S. Senate in 1952 . Prior to entering public office himself , he worked as a correspondent for The Boston Post and as an assistant counsel to the Senate committee chaired by Joe McCarthy . He gained national attention as the chief counsel of the Senate Labor Rackets Committee from 1957 to 1959 , where he publicly challenged Teamsters President Jimmy Hoffa over the corrupt practices of its union and authored The Enemy Within , a book about corruption in organized labor .   Kennedy resigned from the committee to conduct his brother John 's campaign in the 1960 presidential election . He was appointed Attorney General after the successful election and served as the closest adviser to the president from 1961 to 1963 . His tenure is best known for its advocacy for the Civil Rights Movement , the fight against organized crime and the Mafia , and involvement in U.S. foreign policy related to Cuba . After his brother 's assassination , he remained in office in the Johnson administration for several months . He left to run for the United States Senate from New York in 1964 and defeated Republican incumbent Kenneth Keating .   In 1968 , Kennedy was a leading candidate for the Democratic nomination for the presidency ; he appealed especially to poor , African-American , Hispanic , Catholic and young voters . Shortly after midnight on June 5 , 1968 , after defeating Senator Eugene McCarthy in the California and South Dakota presidential primaries , he was mortally wounded by Sirhan Sirhan , a 24-year-old enraged Palestinian , and died the following day .