Black historian/Author Donald Tucker releases book detailing life as a Civil Rights-Era Secret Service Agent

New Release is First-Hand Account of Major Landmarks in US History through the Eyes of one of the First Black Federal Narcotics and Secret Service Agent

Bookcover

Scottsdale, AZ (BlackNews.com) — In his new book entitled The Two-Edged Sword, Scottsdale-based black author and historian Donald Tucker recounts his personal experiences of major historical landmarks – detailing his life as one of the first African-American Secret Service Agents in the United States. This gritty, first-hand account tells what it was like to be black and work as an undercover agent for the Federal Bureau of Narcotics (now the DEA) and U.S. Secret Service during the civil rights movement and beyond. Tucker rose through the ranks to become one of this country’s foremost Federal Law Enforcement Administrators and reformers and protected every U.S. President from Lyndon Johnson to George H.W. Bush.

The Two-Edged Sword tells Tucker’s story starting with growing up on the Southside of Chicago to his work as an undercover agent for the Chicago Federal Bureau of Narcotics and the discrimination he faced.

When a young black student by the name of James Meredith attempted to pursue a college education, Tucker was there. Tucker was summarily removed from his Military Police Unit, along with other black soldiers, segregated and prohibited from providing protection for James Meredith during Meredith’s attempt to enroll at the University of Mississippi.

Racism was rampant despite Tucker’s high-ranking role at the federal government level. During an undercover assignment, Tucker was pulled into a police car by local police officers who didn’t know he was an undercover agent. A white police officer proceeded to unleash a racial tirade against Tucker that even threatened his death. True tales like these underscore the reality of race relations in that turbulent time.

For the first time ever, these stories are being told by a vocal proponent of civil rights spares no punches in revealing candidly the good, the bad and the ugly of growing up in the ‘hood and being one of the first black federal drug and law enforcement agents.

Tucker grew up in a one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment in Chicago with five children and four adults. He attended the University of Iowa on a football scholarship and received a BA degree in Sociology. He retired from the Secret Service in 1990, after a career of almost 25 years and was sworn in as a U.S. Marshal for the District of Arizona. He was named Chief of Court Security for the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts in Washington, D.C., in 1994, overseeing a $150 million security budget. He also coordinated the investigation of the bombing of the Federal Courthouse in Oklahoma City, Okla. He retired in March 1996 and started his own private investigations company, T.I.P.S.-Tucker Investigations and Protective Services.

Donald Tucker is an expert in black history as well as police and government affairs focusing on drug trafficking and laws. He is available as a source for media to provide perspective on the drug trade and law enforcement.

For further information, please contact Don Tucker at 480-205-7686.

The Two-Edged Sword is available at Amazon, Ingram, Barnes & Noble, Changing Hands Bookstore, Amazon.com, on Kindle and B & N Nook e-readers as well as in other fine bookstores everywhere.