Roslyn High School Grad Finds Historic RFK Letter in Yearbook

The letter, written just days before RFK's assassination, reflects on MLK's death and the promise of youth.

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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In 2026, Roslyn High School graduate Michael Steinhauer discovered a letter written by Robert F. Kennedy in his 1969 high school yearbook. The letter, dated June 4, 1968 - just one day before RFK's assassination - was a response to students who had written to him following the death of Martin Luther King Jr. two months earlier. The letter reflects RFK's optimism in the promise of youth and his belief that the "ills of our society" could be solved through their efforts.

Why it matters

The discovery of this letter provides a rare glimpse into RFK's thoughts and emotions in the final days of his life, as well as the impact that the assassinations of MLK and RFK had on high school students at the time. The letter serves as a poignant reminder of a tumultuous period in American history and the enduring legacy of these two influential leaders.

The details

Steinhauer, who graduated from Roslyn High School in 1972, was searching through his old yearbook when he came across the letter from RFK. The letter, written on U.S. Senate stationery, thanked the students for writing to him after MLK's assassination and expressed his belief that "young people such as yourself are the key to our common destiny as a nation on the road to peace." Steinhauer was struck by the letter's eloquence and emotion, as well as the fact that it was written just a day before RFK's own assassination.

  • RFK wrote the letter on June 4, 1968.
  • RFK was assassinated on June 5, 1968, just two days after writing the letter.

The players

Michael Steinhauer

A 1972 graduate of Roslyn High School who discovered the letter from RFK in his 1969 high school yearbook.

Robert F. Kennedy

A U.S. Senator and presidential candidate who was assassinated in 1968, just two days after writing the letter found in the Roslyn High School yearbook.

Martin Luther King Jr.

A civil rights leader who was assassinated in 1968, two months before RFK's death, and whose death was the subject of the letter found in the yearbook.

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What they’re saying

“I believe the ills of our society were created by man, that man can solve them and that this effort will take the best energy and resources of our nation.”

— Robert F. Kennedy, U.S. Senator (Roslyn High School Yearbook)

“Martin Luther King Jr. represented the best of our nation. Dr. King lived and died not only for the Negro, but for all Americans and in particular for the youth of our nation.”

— Robert F. Kennedy, U.S. Senator (Roslyn High School Yearbook)

“Sooner or later, all the people of the world will have to discover a way to live together in peace.”

— Martin Luther King Jr. (Roslyn High School Yearbook)

What’s next

The discovery of the letter has generated interest from historical institutions like the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and the Robert and Ethel Kennedy Human Rights Center, who may seek to acquire or display the yearbook.

The takeaway

This letter serves as a poignant reminder of a turbulent period in American history, when the assassinations of two influential leaders - Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy - deeply impacted the lives of high school students. The letter's message of hope and the power of youth to shape the nation's future resonates even today, underscoring the enduring legacy of these figures.