The Echo from Dealey Plaza: The true story of the first African American on the White House Secret Service detail and his quest for justice after the assassination of JFK

Abraham Bolden

Mar 2008 · Sold by Crown

About this ebook

From the first African American assigned to the presidential Secret Service detail comes a gripping and unforgettable true story of bravery and patriotism in the face of bitter hatred and unthinkable corruption.

Abraham Bolden was a young African American Secret Service agent in Chicago when he was asked by John F. Kennedy himself to join the White House Secret Service detail. For Bolden, it was a dream come true—and an encouraging sign of the charismatic president’s vision for a new America.

But the dream quickly turned sour when Bolden found himself regularly subjected to open hostility and blatant racism. He was taunted, mocked, and disparaged but remained strong, and he did not allow himself to become discouraged.

More of a concern was the White House team’s irresponsible approach to security. While on his tour of presidential duty, Bolden witnessed firsthand the White House agents’ long-rumored lax approach to their job. Drinking on duty, abandoning key posts—this was not a team that appeared to take their responsibility to protect the life of the president particularly seriously. Both prior to and following JFK’s assassination, Bolden sought to expose and address the inappropriate behavior and negligence of these agents, only to find himself the victim of a sinister conspiracy that resulted in his conviction and imprisonment on a trumped-up bribery charge.

A gripping memoir substantiated by recently declassified government documents, The Echo from Dealey Plaza is the story of the terrible price paid by one man for his commitment to truth and justice, as well as a shocking new perspective on the circumstances surrounding the death of a beloved president.

Ratings and reviews

First hand account of the government's attempt to silence a secret service agent's account of deficiencies in the President's protection. Reminiscent of the Soviet Union's use of prisons and psychiatric wards to silence critics. There's a hint, not pursued in the book, that the gunman in the grassy knoll used a Secret Service ID to escape that had been stolen during drunken revelry at Jack Ruby's Carousel nightclub.

I've read many conspiracy theories about JFK's assassination. This is the most thoroughly detailed, sincere, gripping, and most believable. Mr. Bolden describes the Secret Service detail as it has been reported in print and TV news, lately, 2016, as being inadequate to stick to the standards of guarding the President and his family. Excellent writing. Thank you Mr. Bolden, for your service in law enforcement and then taking President Kennedy's invitation to be on the White House S.S. and personal guard

Who was Fired, by the Secret Service ....... God love you, Sir !

About the author

ABRAHAM BOLDEN graduated cum laude from Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri, with a B.A. in music composition. He served in the U.S. Secret Service from 1960 to 1964. Bolden now lives in Chicago and is retired after working for thirty years in the field of quality-control supervision.