What Truth Sounds Like

“What will it take for America to truly confront its racial injustices? Robert Kennedy’s ‘disastrous’ meeting in 1963 may hold the answer.”

1. The 1963 Meeting: A Turning Point for Robert Kennedy

In March 1963, Robert F. Kennedy held a meeting with Black artists, intellectuals, and activists in Manhattan, which unexpectedly became a transformative moment in his political career. Initially intended as a calm policy discussion, the meeting instead became an emotional reckoning for Kennedy as he faced the raw frustration of the Black community. Robert Kennedy, a member of an elite white family, had never before encountered such direct, unfiltered anger.

Kennedy’s political approach had focused on gradual, policy-driven changes, but Jerome Smith, a Freedom Rider and victim of police brutality, shattered this perspective during the meeting. Smith expressed disillusionment with America and admitted he was on the verge of abandoning nonviolence. Lorraine Hansberry, the playwright of A Raisin in the Sun, supported Smith and pressed Kennedy to recognize the moral urgency of the civil rights crisis.

Kennedy struggled to process this barrage of emotions but later reflected deeply on the experiences shared that day. This meeting helped peel away his privileged detachment, paving the way for his later work as a senator and presidential candidate who prioritized fighting poverty and inequality.

Examples

• Jerome Smith’s raw testimony of police brutality and injustice.
• Lorraine Hansberry’s passionate call for immediate action, saying she and her friends were ready to arm themselves if necessary.
• The presence of prominent figures like Harry Belafonte and Lena Horne highlighting the intersection of art and activism.

2. Kennedy’s Initial Hesitation with Civil Rights

Before 1963, neither Robert nor John F. Kennedy took bold steps toward addressing civil rights. Their decisions were guided more by political calculations than moral imperatives. John F. Kennedy was hesitant to antagonize Southern white voters, and Robert Kennedy followed a similar pragmatic approach.

The Kennedy administration even appointed federal judges in the South who upheld segregationist policies. Their lack of urgency created growing frustration among activists like James Baldwin, who questioned why the administration wasn’t doing more. The Birmingham protests in April 1963, which saw peaceful demonstrators attacked with fire hoses and dogs, underscored this negligence.

Robert’s encounter with Baldwin and others during the Manhattan meeting marked the beginning of a shift in his attitude. Witnessing the raw emotions of those who had experienced injustice firsthand forced him to rethink his priorities, as he began to separate his political strategies from moral obligations.

Examples

• Federal judges appointed by the Kennedy administration upheld segregationist policies.
• Martin Luther King, Jr.’s nonviolent protests faced brutal suppression, while the federal response was minimal.
• James Baldwin’s scathing criticism of Kennedy’s inaction through an open telegram.

3. The Power of Witness: Jerome Smith’s Voice

Jerome Smith, a Freedom Rider who had endured horrifying violence, became the moral center of the 1963 meeting. His words conveyed the unbearable reality of systemic racism in a way that statistics or distant reports never could. For Kennedy, Smith’s testimony was a wake-up call from the comfortable distance of policy discussions.

Smith’s declaration that he was ready to abandon nonviolence shook the room. Lorraine Hansberry echoed his despair, adding urgency to the conversation. Their demand was not for new policies, but for Kennedy to bear witness to their pain and to address the heart of the problem: the moral failure of the government to protect its Black citizens.

Smith exemplified how first-hand stories and lived experiences have the power to break through privilege and force people to confront uncomfortable truths. This lesson remains relevant: authentic voices can push leaders to action in ways that facts alone cannot.

Examples

• Smith’s admission of emotional and physical scars from his activism shocked those present.
• Lorraine Hansberry’s support of Smith underscored his significance as a witness to injustice.
• The room’s refusal to engage in “cocktail party chatter” reinforced the seriousness of the moment.

4. Policy vs. Moral Change: A Persistent Debate

The 1963 meeting highlighted the tension between those who focus on policy changes and those demanding moral transformation. Kennedy approached the meeting with an agenda to discuss actionable steps, but the attendees, particularly Smith, pressed him to understand America’s systemic racism through an emotional and moral lens.

This tension between policy and morality continues today. For instance, during her 2015 campaign, Hillary Clinton’s statement that laws, not hearts, need changing disappointed Black Lives Matter activists. They demanded an empathetic approach, urging her to address both.

Kennedy’s later political career demonstrated how leaders can grow through such friction. His transformation after 1963 showed that empathy and understanding must accompany legislative progress for meaningful change to occur.

Examples

• Kennedy’s frustration with the emotion-driven nature of the meeting contrasted with his policy-first mindset.
• Clinton’s initial reluctance to address racism beyond laws as highlighted by BLM leaders.
• Kennedy’s growing focus on moral responsibility during his later career.

5. Artists as Catalysts for Social Change

The 1963 meeting showcased the influence of Black artists like Harry Belafonte, Lena Horne, and Lorraine Hansberry, who used their work to push for racial justice. These cultural icons amplified the voices of ordinary Black Americans, blending art with activism.

Over time, this tradition has evolved. Modern artists like Beyoncé, Jay-Z, and filmmakers like Jordan Peele have used their platforms to provoke dialogue. Peele’s Get Out cast the white suburbs as a metaphor for racial exploitation, resonating with audiences in ways statistics cannot.

Art fosters understanding by humanizing marginalized experiences. Through storytelling and creativity, Black artists continue to combat systemic issues while inspiring collective action.

Examples

• Belafonte’s insistence on positive portrayals of Black characters in his films.
• Jordan Peele’s Get Out and its critical commentary on racism’s insidiousness.
• Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun, which explored Black struggles and aspirations.

6. Political Figures Must Be Willing to Change

Robert Kennedy’s transformation after 1963 was not immediate, but it was profound. By the time he ran for president in 1968, he had visited ghettos and Appalachia, witnessed poverty firsthand, and broadened his empathy. This shift mirrored his growing understanding of race as not just a political problem, but a human one.

The author argues that contemporary politicians must also follow Kennedy’s example by engaging directly with marginalized communities. Authentic understanding, born of genuine exposure to other perspectives, can make leadership more effective and compassionate.

Examples

• Kennedy’s 1968 campaign speeches often referenced his visits to impoverished areas.
• Joseph Kennedy’s modern acknowledgment of systemic inequalities echoes his grandfather’s legacy.
• Robert Kennedy’s speeches after 1963 frequently sought to unite rather than divide.

7. Black Intellectuals and the Gift of Truth

The legacy of writers like James Baldwin extends to modern intellectuals like Ta-Nehisi Coates. Through powerful storytelling, both unveil hidden truths about systemic racism. Baldwin’s The Fire Next Time called out white America’s moral failures, while Coates’s Between the World and Me continues this work today.

However, intellectual disagreements within the Black community persist. Cornel West’s attacks on Coates, similar to Baldwin’s conflicts with radicals like Eldridge Cleaver, reflect these internal struggles. Progress requires these voices to align and support one another.

Examples

• Baldwin’s essays in The Fire Next Time directly confronted systemic racism.
• Coates’s Between the World and Me offered a searing critique of white supremacy.
• Cornel West’s controversial criticism of Coates reveals the ongoing tension among Black intellectuals.

8. Pop Culture as a Mirror to Society

Works such as Hamilton, Black Panther, and Get Out illustrate how pop culture challenges societal norms. Each work offers a different perspective on Black identity: Hamilton reimagines history, Get Out critiques appropriation, and Black Panther envisions a future free from colonial influences.

These narratives encourage audiences of all backgrounds to reconsider their assumptions about race and power. They continue the legacy of early artist-activists like Harry Belafonte and Paul Robeson, proving that art remains a potent vehicle for social change.

Examples

• Hamilton cast people of color as the Founding Fathers, reshaping the national story.
• Black Panther offered a utopian vision of Black self-determination through Wakanda.
• Jordan Peele’s Get Out critiqued white supremacy through horror.

9. The Enduring Power of Witnessing

Witnessing America’s racial inequalities firsthand remains as important today as it was in 1963. Whether through activists, artists, or intellectuals, testimonials that expose injustice help drive societal change. The meeting that changed Robert Kennedy resulted from exposing his privilege to the realities of racism.

Through empathy, listening, and acknowledging their own blind spots, leaders can transform their understanding of racism from political strategy to moral imperative.

Examples

• Kennedy’s transformation after hearing Jerome Smith’s testimony.
• Black Lives Matter’s impact through stories of police violence and systemic injustice.
• Contemporary activism’s reliance on documentaries like 13th to expose systemic racism.

Takeaways

1. Seek out and actively listen to diverse, authentic perspectives; witnessing firsthand experiences fosters genuine empathy and understanding.
2. Balance policy change with addressing moral and cultural dimensions of societal issues to ensure lasting progress.
3. Support and amplify artists and voices that challenge systems of inequality and inspire new ways of thinking.