First Black Secret Service agent reveals shocking testimony before the JFK committee, exposing fellow agents who were allegedly drunk on duty while protecting Kennedy before his assassination.
Key Takeaways
- Abraham Bolden, personally hired by JFK as the first Black Secret Service agent on presidential detail, finally testified before a Congressional committee investigating Kennedy’s assassination.
- Bolden alleged widespread misconduct among Secret Service agents, including substance abuse and racism, which may have compromised JFK’s security.
- After reporting agent misconduct, Bolden was convicted on bribery charges he claims were fabricated as retaliation, spending years in prison before receiving a pardon from President Biden in 2022.
- Bolden testified about ignored assassination threats in Chicago and Miami prior to Dallas, suggesting a potential cover-up within the Secret Service.
- Despite decades of setbacks, the 86-year-old continues advocating for full exoneration and complete disclosure of JFK assassination records.
Breaking Barriers and Facing Backlash
Abraham Bolden made history in 1961 when President Kennedy personally selected him as the first Black Secret Service agent to serve on a presidential protection detail. His groundbreaking appointment immediately placed him in a hostile environment where racism was rampant among his colleagues. Bolden faced constant discrimination, including derogatory remarks and even discovered a noose hung above his desk as an intimidation tactic. Despite these challenges, Bolden remained dedicated to his duty of protecting the president, often finding himself relegated to less prestigious assignments while white agents received preferred positions.
“On June 6, 1961, I walked into history. I was assigned to the White House detail in Washington, DC to assist in protecting the life of the president. And I never met a more human and fair-minded person than President Kennedy,” Stated Abraham Bolden, former Secret Service agent.
His position came with significant limitations. Instead of being granted prime protective positions near Kennedy during important events, Bolden was often given marginal assignments. “While some agents got the coveted spots inside the McCormick Place banquet room near the president, my assignment was to guard a basement restroom that had been set aside for Kennedy’s exclusive use.”
Allegations of Secret Service Negligence
Bolden’s recent testimony before a Congressional committee reopening the Kennedy assassination investigation contained explosive allegations about his fellow agents. He reported that many Secret Service members assigned to Kennedy’s detail regularly consumed alcohol while on duty, maintaining a culture of negligence that potentially endangered the president. More disturbing were Bolden’s claims that he overheard agents openly expressing unwillingness to protect Kennedy due to their disagreement with his civil rights agenda, exposing deep-seated racial prejudice within the agency charged with presidential protection.
“It was very difficult because I was African-American. I wasn’t wearing a uniform and many people did not believe I was a Secret Service agent.”
According to Bolden’s testimony, the Secret Service ignored credible assassination threats against Kennedy in both Chicago and Miami prior to the fatal Dallas trip. Particularly concerning was what Bolden referred to as the “Chicago plot,” an allegedly foiled assassination attempt that was never properly investigated or publicly disclosed. Bolden maintains that these incidents demonstrate a pattern of negligence that ultimately contributed to Kennedy’s death in Dallas. His allegations extend to claims of missing evidence, including medical documents and photographs that could challenge the official assassination narrative.
Conviction and Claims of Retaliation
After voicing concerns about agent misconduct and security lapses, Bolden found himself facing bribery charges that he has consistently maintained were fabricated as retaliation. His first trial ended in a mistrial, but during his second trial, despite a key witness admitting to lying under pressure from prosecutors, an all-white jury convicted Bolden. He was sentenced to six years in federal prison, effectively ending his Secret Service career and permanently damaging his reputation. For decades, Bolden has fought to clear his name, viewing his conviction as punishment for speaking out about Secret Service failures.
“Very often, as you people know, justice takes a long time. Carry on, my brothers and sisters. Carry on this investigation. I truly thank you for giving me a chance to tell my story today because not too many years from now, the only thing in my pockets will be dirt. But the truth cannot die,” Stated Abraham Bolden, former Secret Service agent.
The Long Road to Partial Vindication
After decades of advocating for justice, Bolden finally received a partial vindication when President Biden granted him a pardon in 2022. This came after multiple failed attempts to secure clemency from previous administrations. Roosevelt Wilson, one of Bolden’s advocates, had approached four different presidents seeking a pardon. “I kept waiting for someone in D.C. with some guts to clear this man, and it never happened. I started with Bill Clinton, then George W. Bush and Barack Obama. I didn’t write about Trump because I knew it wouldn’t do any good. Then Biden,” Said Roosevelt Wilson, Bolden advocate.
Despite the pardon, Bolden continues seeking a full exoneration and expungement of his conviction. Now in his late 80s, time is running short for complete justice. His testimony before the Congressional committee represented a significant opportunity to place his experiences and allegations into the official record regarding Kennedy’s assassination. Bolden documented his extraordinary journey in his autobiography, “The Echo from Dealey Plaza,” which details both his groundbreaking role as the first Black Secret Service agent on presidential detail and his subsequent persecution for speaking out about potential security failures that may have contributed to one of America’s most traumatic national tragedies.
