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 African-American to serve as Secret Service officer protecting a president. President Kennedy, aware of the symbolism, personally recruited Bolden for the position. After the assassination of President Kennedy, Bolden sought to inform the Warren Commission about the true failings of the Secret Service and the systemic racism in that agency. Instead of being welcomed by the investigators he was rushed away and criminally indicted based on false charges. After a mistrial he was re-tried and convicted despite the admission by two key witnesses that they had lied to satisfy demands of the prosecutors. Bolden served 39 months in a federal prison. Once out of prison Bolden worked hard to support his family and became a model citizen though he had a reputation as a convicted felon. Bolden told his story in his well-received 2008 memoir, The Echo From Dealey Plaza. On April 26th of this year President Biden granted Bolden a long awaited, and long overdue pardon.
Abraham Bolden was awarded the CAPA 2024 Profile in Courage Award during the CAPA Zoom conference.