Abraham Bolden, Sr. is an author and former U.S. Secret Service agent and Illinois State Trooper who holds the distinction of being the first American-American to serve as Secret Service officer protecting a president. President Kennedy, aware of the symbolism, personally recruited Bolden for the position. Bolden sought to repay the gesture and illustrate its importance for future generations, as recounted in his well-received 2008 memoir, The Echo From Dealey Plaza.