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Kid Berwyn

(25,031 posts)
36. JFK tried.
Thu May 7, 2026, 08:00 AM
May 7

While he didn’t say, “DEI,” JFK put our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion into action -- promoting Abraham Bolden personally to the White House Secret Service detail.

Former U.S. Secret Service Agent Abraham BOLDEN was the first African American Secret Service agent to serve in the White House, personally appointed and literally hand-picked by President John F. Kennedy to the White House detail. 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.

In addition to enduring all manner of personal indignities, he was concerned at the lack of professionalism in those assigned to protect the president and reported his concerns. He was told, "OK. Thanks" by his superiors. When the problems weren't addressed, Bolden requested transfer back to the Secret Service office in Chicago.



President Biden recently pardoned Abraham Bolden



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, Agent Bolden traveled to Washington on his own dime and reported what he saw to the Warren Commission. For his trouble -- and despite an exemplary record of excellence as a Brinks detective, Illinois State Trooper, and Secret Service agent with integrity -- 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.

FBI taped Joseph Adams Milteer saying JFK would be shot from a high rise by a patsy...

Joseph Adams Milteer, below left, a rabid right-wing racist was tape-recorded 13 days before Dallas detailing the assassination of JFK "with a high-powered rifle from a high-rise office building." In the discussion recorded by FBI informant William Somersett, Milteer outlined the official version of Dallas, complete with patsy, before it happened.



Seems he was prophetic, as two weeks later, Milteer or his lost twin, appears in photographs in Dealey Plaza (above, right). That story should have made the front page and lead every broadcast when FBI Special Agent Donald Adam’s went public with his account, but it didn’t, for some fascist reason.



Somersett: Kennedy’s coming here, I think, on the 18th or something like that to make some kind of speech…

Milteer: You can bet your bottom dollar he is going to have a lot to say about the Cubans because there are so many of them here.

Somersett: Yeah, well, he will have a thousand bodyguards. Don’t worry about that.

Milteer: The more bodyguards he has, the more easier it is to get him.

Somersett: What?

Milteer: The more bodyguards he has the more easier it is to get him.

Somersett: Well, how in the hell do you figure would be the best way to get him?

Milteer: From an office building with a high-powered rifle…

Somersett: They are really going to try to kill him?

Milteer: “Oh, yeah. It’s in the working…

Milteer mentions the name of a Klansman who might do the job, someone he claimed had stalked Dr. King, “but couldn’t get close enough to him.” Shortly, the conversation returned to the President.

Somersett: Hitting this Kennedy I’ll tell you is going to be a hard proposition, I believe. Now you may have it figured out how to get him…an office building and all that, but I don’t know how them Secret Service…they’d never cover all them office buildings and anywhere he’s going. Do you know whether they do that or not?

Milteer: If they have any suspicion they will, of course. But without suspicion the chances are they wouldn’t….You wouldn’t have to take a gun up there…take it up in pieces. All those guns come knock down and you can take them apart.”

Before the end of the tape, the conversation returned to Kennedy.

Somersett: Boy, if that Kennedy gets shot we’ve got to know where we’re at because you know that would be a real shake if they do that.

Milteer: They wouldn’t leave any stone unturned there, no. No way.

Somersett: Oh, hell no.

Milteer: Hell, they’ll pick up somebody within hours after, if anything like that would happen, just to throw the public off.

Somersett: Well, somebody is going to have to go to jail if he gets killed.

Milteer: Just like Bruno Hauptmann in the Lindbergh case, you know.

President Kennedy came to Miami on Nov. 18 without incident and attended the Inter-American Press Association dinner at the Americana Hotel in Bal Harbour. In his diary, Gelber wrote that police assured him the Secret Service knew Milteer’s whereabouts.

Source:

A Miami Police Informant, A Prophetic Racist And Fresh Questions About JFK’s Death

https://www.wlrn.org/politics/2013-11-14/a-miami-police-informant-a-prophetic-racist-and-fresh-questions-about-jfks-death



The late Prof. Donald E. Wilkes documented how the FBI taped the RWNJ who said JFK would be shot by sniper, patsy set up for blame (9 November 1963):

The Georgian Who Knew a Sniper Would Kill JFK

https://digitalcommons.law.uga.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=&httpsredir=1&article=1182&context=fac_pm

https://digitalcommons.law.uga.edu/fac_pm/103/

Predictions of Joseph Adam Milteer

https://www.maryferrell.org/pages/Predictions_of_Joseph_Milteer.html

Milteer and his ilk in the KKK and ulatraconservative circles didn't like JFK and Civil Rights. As those traitors were never held to account, We the People lost a better future when they — the racist, warmongering cabal — killed the Kennedys and Dr. King.

Recommendations

13 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

A shock. Not at all. On the contrary. I've been WARNING about it for at least a DECADE now. B.See May 6 #1
True malaise May 6 #2
Step by step, the social taboo on overt racism decomposesd. SouthBayDem May 6 #29
This started with the Rehnquist 5's Bush vs Gore ruling DemocracyForever May 7 #59
Oh! Idk That detail! I was angry in general about it - did they call that "The Brooks Brothers riot"? electric_blue68 May 7 #83
The Brooks Brothers riot is a small portion of what happened DemocracyForever May 8 #106
My theory is If Obama had -only- one term.... electric_blue68 May 7 #82
It's been building particularly since drumphf frst insulted Candidate Obama with the birth certificate lies... electric_blue68 May 7 #81
Not hard to process at all misanthrope May 6 #3
Scary malaise May 6 #4
Yep Solly Mack May 6 #6
Same here Stuckinthebush May 6 #8
They did before misanthrope May 6 #10
Yep Stuckinthebush May 6 #11
Was in Alabama just after Trump took office in mobile airport JT45242 May 7 #35
The most ironic aspect of your story misanthrope May 7 #52
1990's! I guess I'm not totally suprised, being it was so inculcated electric_blue68 May 7 #87
Yep, little bars where you had to ring and then be buzzed in misanthrope May 7 #103
The White Way social club... 🙄😑 electric_blue68 May 8 #105
I also grew up in the rural south BeneteauBum May 6 #12
Nice story. Sometimes it takes just one real encounter to understand that we are all one, all the same. erronis May 6 #19
Nice malaise May 7 #32
A heartening story! In the 70's I remember I had a pen pal in Geogia... electric_blue68 May 7 #89
How The South Won The Civil War Sequoia May 7 #67
I learned somewhat about that through the internet.... electric_blue68 May 7 #84
I'm a Northern white woman, and I've countered [luckily infrequently] things other white people have said to me.... electric_blue68 May 7 #86
I grew up in a small town in Michigan JBTaurus83 May 6 #5
White people talking to white people Johonny May 7 #40
It's a major reason... Bastard "gave permission" to all this crap! electric_blue68 May 7 #90
I was thrilled by the election of President Obama, believing it to be... 3catwoman3 May 6 #7
+1. I'm afraid Obama was a rare anomaly. dalton99a May 6 #16
The fact that we had a Black president drove the racists crazy. wnylib May 6 #28
I think it was evolving some, BUT that made the racists more entrenched, and vicious... electric_blue68 May 7 #91
Never left! Floyd R. Turbo May 6 #9
True dat. This explains the history of modern American racism. We've gone back to the future. Marcuse May 7 #66
I knew as a child, when i first heard the words "all men are created equal", that the shit was going to hit the fan one Solomon May 6 #13
I wonder how other countries have evolved past this. Or have they? erronis May 6 #21
They have not. malthaussen May 7 #45
I just never understood why they think racism is advantageous. Trueblue Texan May 7 #38
I never understand how people do not get the simple concept that hamsterjill May 7 #41
There are stupid people and brilliant people from every race malaise May 7 #58
I was never fooled that we were "past it", when Obama was elected. electric_blue68 May 7 #92
A lot of racists in this country KT2000 May 6 #14
They think everyone is like them. They're not, thank God. Joinfortmill May 7 #50
I am not at all surprised AverageOldGuy May 6 #15
Helluva post already! I got a great taste of southern living from this erronis May 6 #22
That "taste" misanthrope May 7 #53
Freaking wow malaise May 7 #39
Thank you Keepthesoulalive May 7 #63
Hooo, I'll bet. Clicked on the article will read. Glad some of your famimy has some good sense! electric_blue68 May 7 #93
As someone born an raised in the south, my reply is to ask "What do you mean, 'return'?" OldBaldy1701E May 6 #17
MAGA like 1850!!! moondust May 6 #18
Generally speaking, most Republicans are "Surface People". chouchou May 6 #20
It is mind boggling how these Kluxers are reimposing Jim Crow. My God. PatrickforB May 6 #23
More of our electeds and candidates must do a FAR better job of denouncing, demonizing, and delegitimizing... pat_k May 6 #24
I would shorten your term to just Republicans. love_katz May 7 #75
Something I posted elsewhere applies here (corrected link) pat_k May 7 #78
I don't agree. love_katz May 7 #96
I would partly disagree...least for back in the late '60's, early '70's electric_blue68 May 7 #94
Not surprising at all RetiredParatrooper May 6 #25
I live in ruby red Florida mcar May 6 #26
I live in Purple Florida PCB66 May 7 #33
When sports in America starts being effected we will see some change. BradBo May 6 #27
Not a shock. The racism never left. Like cockroaches, they hide in the shadows awaiting the dark Scalded Nun May 6 #30
Seems not too long ago comments like this would get a rash of shit from southerners claiming the north is just as racist Hassin Bin Sober May 6 #31
Wow! malaise May 7 #34
That should be an OP on its own. Passages May 7 #42
Sheeeet! (And Sheets!) Self satisfied flaming racists! electric_blue68 May 7 #100
JFK tried. Kid Berwyn May 7 #36
Thanks for this my friend malaise May 7 #37
A lot here I didn't know. Thank you Joinfortmill May 7 #51
Rec'd MustLoveBeagles May 7 #62
Never knew this, thanks for posting. Sequoia May 7 #73
Milteer?! KB, I remember reading about Agent Bolden here on DU... electric_blue68 May 7 #97
A shock, but not an unexpected one. malthaussen May 7 #43
Sheathing for eight years with a black president their brains filled with putrid puss. Hope22 May 7 #44
I have family members by marriage who voted for him. Baitball Blogger May 7 #46
Not if you voted for it, which Trmp's supporters most certainly did. eppur_se_muova May 7 #47
The racism in the U.S. is deep and wide PJMcK May 7 #48
I'm so damn sick of racism. It's STUPID. We are all humans. WTF? Joinfortmill May 7 #49
America has a deeply racist history that gets swept under the rug dlk May 7 #54
This IS what they voted for. underpants May 7 #55
They want their slaves back awful bad. Aristus May 7 #56
Here's the rub misanthrope May 7 #65
But as long as slavery existed, those dipshits wouldn't be on the lowest rung of the socio-economical ladder. Aristus May 7 #69
I would say it was like today's poor Americans who take the side of the wealthy misanthrope May 7 #70
Their racism & misogyny has been barely hidden CousinIT May 7 #57
It. Is right here on DU Keepthesoulalive May 7 #60
Living in a blue bubble as I do, it's always a bit shocking to see or read about Ocelot II May 7 #61
Roberts and the five of the other justices have been paving the way for this for a while LetMyPeopleVote May 7 #64
Nailed it malaise May 7 #79
Woah - terribly fierce, and true cartoons :( electric_blue68 May 7 #98
I grew up in a lumber town in California with no black residents. pfitz59 May 7 #68
Unbelievable malaise May 7 #72
Red-lining does exist in NYC, but less so. Has been fought against in the past several decades electric_blue68 May 7 #99
K&R red dog 1 May 7 #71
Tribalism and exclusivity. Hate follows in their paths. OC375 May 7 #74
I am grieving for the loss of my country UpInArms May 7 #76
Obama's election made them emerge from under their rocks Skittles May 7 #77
Unfortunately I am not shocked. It's alway been there, just more quiet etc. themaguffin May 7 #80
It's a land grab, steal what you can while you can Beringia May 7 #85
I'm not shocked that it's raised its head once again... slightlv May 7 #88
Hmmmm Six117 May 7 #95
I guess no. I've sure known there's plenry of racists still out there!. I guess the sort of shock is.... electric_blue68 May 7 #101
Beyond my naive reckoning. Shocking. Part of my white privilege: I didn't have to see it until it would not ... marble falls May 7 #102
I have a theory which might be unpopular. Morbius May 7 #104
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