U.S. Department
of Justice
Black History Month Spotlight
In honor of Black History Month 2024, the Office of the Pardon Attorney would like to shine a light on pardon recipient Abraham W. Bolden, Sr. Mr. Bolden, the first African American Secret Service Agent assigned to a presidential detail, was granted a full and unconditional pardon by President Biden on April 26, 2022.
After graduating cum laude with a BA in Music Composition from Lincoln University, Abraham Bolden became the first African American Detective employed by the Pinkerton National Detective Agency. He next served as a State Highway Patrolman in the State of Illinois. Continuing to advance in the field of police work, Mr. Bolden became a member of the United States Secret Service in October 1960.
While working in Chicago, a brief encounter with President John F. Kennedy resulted in Mr. Bolden becoming the first African American assigned to a presidential detail. President Kennedy was instrumental in securing this assignment. Though serving in this prestigious role, Mr. Bolden’s character and qualifications were routinely called into question by those who served alongside him, and he daily endured racial slurs both within the workplace and from the public at large.
In 1964, Mr. Bolden was arrested on charges related to the attempt to sell a copy of a Secret Service file. That same year, a jury failed to agree on a verdict and a new trial was ordered. Months later, a second trial was commenced, and he was convicted of soliciting money to commit fraud; obstructing justice; and conspiracy, even though key witnesses against him admitted to lying at the prosecutor’s request. Though sentenced to six years in federal custody, he was paroled after serving over three years.
Mr. Bolden has steadfastly maintained his innocence, arguing that he was targeted for prosecution in retaliation for exposing unprofessional and racist behavior within the U.S. Secret Service. Mr. Bolden chronicles his experiences in his book The Echo from Dealy Plaza. He has been recognized through numerous platforms for his ongoing work to speak out against the racism he faced in the Secret Service in the 1960s, and his courage in challenging injustice.
In his own words, Mr. Bolden has noted “I've always had faith in the American system of justice … I spent a great deal of time in police work, where I came to believe if a person sticks to the truth and continues to seek justice, somewhere along the line that justice is going to prevail.”
Mr. Bolden was married for 49 years to his long-time friend and schoolmate, Barbara L. (Hardy) Bolden prior to her death. To that marriage were born three children, Ahvia Maria (Bolden) Reynolds, Abraham Bolden Jr., and Dr. Daaim Shabazz. He has two grandchildren, Ismail and Cydni Bolden. Upon his release from imprisonment, Mr. Bolden established himself as a master at quality control administrative procedures in various machining and metal fabricating companies in Chicago. He retired after serving 35 years in quality control supervisory positions.
