Filmmaker Joshua Coates is bringing the powerful story of Abraham Bolden—the first Black U.S. Secret Service agent assigned to the White House detail—to the big screen. Coates has secured the rights to Bolden’s life story, originally detailed in his 2008 autobiography, The Echo from Dealey Plaza.
Appointed by President John F. Kennedy in 1961, Bolden was a groundbreaking figure in federal law enforcement. But his career took a dramatic turn when he attempted to expose misconduct and racial discrimination within the Secret Service.
The Attempt to Silence Abraham Bolden
Bolden first met Kennedy while on assignment in Chicago, and later became part of his protective detail. Just weeks before JFK’s assassination in Dallas, Bolden played a key role in investigating an assassination plot against the president in Chicago. His findings led to the cancellation of Kennedy’s scheduled trip to the city—a decision that may have saved the president’s life at the time.
After JFK’s death, Bolden traveled to Washington, D.C., seeking to testify before the Warren Commission about issues within the Secret Service. Instead, he was swiftly sent back to Chicago, arrested, and charged with bribery—charges he insisted were fabricated as retaliation for speaking out. Though initially acquitted, he was later re-tried and convicted, serving six years in prison.
“For years, there’s been a deliberate effort to erase Bolden’s story,” Coates said. “This film is about shining a light on the truth that was buried.”
Bringing Bolden’s Story to the Screen
Coates has written the screenplay for The Unseen Shield and will direct the film alongside his producing partner Fetteroff Colen. The project is currently in pre-production, with casting for the lead role underway.
Adding more credibility to the production, Stephen Jaffe—a former Special Assistant to New Orleans DA Jim Garrison, who famously re-investigated the Kennedy assassination—has joined as an executive producer and technical consultant. Jaffe was also a producer on Executive Action (1973), the first feature film about the Kennedy assassination, starring Burt Lancaster and Robert Ryan.
“Bolden’s story was known to us back then, but at the time, we were focused on what happened in Dallas,” Jaffe shared. “Still, the efforts to silence him were undeniable proof that multiple plots to kill Kennedy existed before that fateful day in Texas.”
Justice, Finally Served
For decades, those who learned about Bolden’s case worked to clear his name. In April 2022, that fight led to President Joe Biden granting Bolden a full and unconditional pardon, formally recognizing the injustice he endured.
Coates, fresh off completing his psychological thriller Madonna Non-Grata (starring Tamara Taylor, Eric Roberts, and Isaac Keys), is preparing to move into pre-production on The Unseen Shield later this year.
By bringing this overlooked chapter of American history to the screen, The Unseen Shield will highlight the true story of a man who stood on the frontlines of history—only to be punished for trying to do the right thing.