Dan Gillmor Recalls Don Bolles and the Arizona Project
Blogger Dan Gillmor recalls in an August 11, 2007 post at the Center for Citizen Media Blog that, "Thirty-two years ago, Don Bolles [link added], a reporter with the Arizona Republic, was mortally wounded in Phoenix when a bomb destroyed his car. His murder sparked the Arizona Project, an unprecedented gathering of investigative journalists from around America who traveled to Arizona to investigate the corruption that, everyone understood, had led to Bolles’ killing," Gillmor notes.
"The project had its flaws," he adds. "Critics called the entire idea was a mistake. But the “Desert Rats” — the reporters and editors who did the work — and the news organizations that supported and published the long series did, in the end, have an impact both on Arizona’s power structure and the investigative-journalism field."
Gillmor's post comes in the wake of the August 2, 2007 murder of Oakland Post editor Chauncey Bailey, 57. It is believed that Bailey was assassinated by Devaughndre Broussard, 19, who wanted to stop him from investigating Oakland, California, USA-based Your Black Muslim Bakery. See "Suspected gunman booked in fatal shooting of journalist in California." Also see "Oakland: Update: Slain Journalist Was Granted Restraining Order."
I remember the murder of Bolles who was blown up in his car on June 2, 1976. He lived for eleven days. I met Bailey years ago in Chicago when he worked for a nonprofit called Comprand Inc. I also recall his days working as press secretary for former U.S. Representative Augustus Savage, Democrat of Illinois.
To read Gillmor's entire post, please see "Chauncey Bailey and Don Bolles."
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