INDIANAPOLIS — Kennedy-King will be the City’s Neighborhood of the Month for April 2018. The Neighborhood of the Month initiative highlights an Indianapolis community each month, working to engage local groups and promote projects by various City departments.
Dating back to the 1800s, the Kennedy-King neighborhood is known as a unique and quiet place to call home in the City of Indianapolis. Located just north of downtown near Fall Creek and along College Avenue, the neighborhood boasts new and old residents alike, who enjoy nearby access to schools, local restaurants, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Park.
However, the Kennedy-King name wasn’t applied to the neighborhood until after April 4, 1968, the day of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination in Memphis. Senator Robert Kennedy, despite being warned to forgo his scheduled campaign stop at the Indianapolis park due to a lack of guaranteed safety, forged ahead with his appearance. Instead of reading his prepared remarks, Senator Kennedy delivered the news of Dr. King’s death to the crowd of 2,500, and is credited with maintaining the peace in Indianapolis while cities across the county rioted throughout the night.
Residents and visitors are encouraged to use the hashtag #IndyNoM when posting on social media about Kennedy-King during the month of March. To nominate your neighborhood for Neighborhood of the Month visit indy.gov/NoM.