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In reply to the discussion: The Almost Entirely Black Audience Of "The Butler" Had To Watch Film W-Armed Guards Facing Them [View all]Octafish
(55,745 posts)33. GOOGLE Abraham Bolden
Learn the story of the first African American secret service agent on the White House detail. Explains a lot of how we got here.
Secret Service agent Abraham Bolden reported overt racism by his fellow agents and outright hostility toward the "n------loving president," quoting fellow Secret Service agents on the JFK detail.
Abraham Bolden speaks at JFK Lancer.
The story of a man who told the truth:
After 45 Years, a Civil Rights Hero Waits for Justice
Thom Hartmann
June 12, 2009 11:52 AM
A great miscarriage of justice has kept most Americas from learning about a Civil Rights pioneer who worked with President John F. Kennedy. But there is finally a way for citizens to not only right that wrong, but bring closure to the most tragic chapter of American presidential history.
After an outstanding career in law enforcement, Abraham Bolden was appointed by JFK to be the first African American presidential Secret Service agent, where he served with distinction. He was part of the Secret Service effort that prevented JFK's assassination in Chicago, three weeks before Dallas. But Bolden was framed by the Mafia and arrested on the very day he went to Washington to tell the Warren Commission staff about the Chicago attempt against JFK.
Bolden was sentenced to six years in prison, despite glaring problems with his prosecution. His arrest resulted from accusations by two criminals Bolden had sent to prison. In Bolden's first trial, an apparently biased judge told the jury that Bolden was guilty, even before they began their deliberations. Though granted a new trial because of that, the same problematic judge was assigned to oversee Bolden's second trial, which resulted in his conviction. Later, the main witness against Bolden admitted committing perjury against him. A key member of the prosecution even took the fifth when asked about the perjury. Yet Bolden's appeals were denied, and he had to serve hard time in prison, and today is considered a convicted felon.
After the release of four million pages of JFK assassination files in the 1990s, it became clear that Bolden -- and the official secrecy surrounding the Chicago attempt against JFK -- were due to National Security concerns about Cuba, that were unknown to Bolden, the press, Congress, and the public not just in 1963, but for the next four decades.
SNIP...
Abraham Bolden paid a heavy price for trying to tell the truth about events involving the man he was sworn to protect -- JFK -- that became mired in National Security concerns. Bolden still lives in Chicago, and has never given up trying to clear his name.
Will Abraham Bolden live to finally see the justice so long denied to him?
CONTINUED...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/thom-hartmann/after-45-years-a-civil-ri_b_213834.html
After the assassination, he went to Washington on his own dime and reported what he saw to the Warren Commission. For his trouble -- and despite an exemplary record as a Brinks detective, Illinois State Trooper, and Secret Service agent -- Bolden was framed by the government using a paid informant's admitted perjury and spent a long time in prison. The government also drugged him and put him into psychiatric hospitals. His real crime was telling the truth.
The truth is something more people should try. Including the management of Regal Theaters.
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The Almost Entirely Black Audience Of "The Butler" Had To Watch Film W-Armed Guards Facing Them [View all]
kpete
Aug 2013
OP
Yep. It was great. Not a very diverse crowd, but that was o.k. The audience laughed, cried, cheered.
Liberal_Stalwart71
Aug 2013
#89
Oh, sorry about that. I think I'll start going to Avalon. It's out of the way, but I like the fact
Liberal_Stalwart71
Aug 2013
#90
I tried to tell my friends that they could park back there, but they didn't believe me. Oh, well.
Liberal_Stalwart71
Aug 2013
#98
I can understand why, but despite all that has happened in the last few years, I do think we've
Liberal_Stalwart71
Aug 2013
#103
Wow! I saw the film on Friday morning... I'm not sure any other big screen film has really told
jimlup
Aug 2013
#13
Actually according to that Wikipedia page he sold his controlling shares of Regal in 2006.
Initech
Aug 2013
#91
Welcome to entertainment in the "Colorblind America" of the 21st Century Police State.
leveymg
Aug 2013
#27
When I lived on Georgia Ave a few years ago I was the only nonblack person for several blocks
Recursion
Aug 2013
#42
That entire area is almost all gentrified now starting-at & north of Columbia Heights/Mt Pleasant.
Chan790
Aug 2013
#102
No!! Silver Spring is incredibly diverse!! You don't know what you're talking about.
Liberal_Stalwart71
Aug 2013
#61
I know Silver Spring is diverse. Georgia Ave through DC isn't so much, or at least wasn't
Recursion
Aug 2013
#66
This may be true but Silver Spring is changing very rapidly and becoming more
Liberal_Stalwart71
Aug 2013
#63