Advertisement

Bruce Bolling, Boston City Council's 1st Black President, Dies

Bruce Bolling, the first African-American president of the Boston City Council, has died after a long battle with cancer. He was 67.

As WBUR's Delores Handy reported for our Newscast unit:

Bolling, a trailblazing politician and scion of a Boston political family, made history his entire political life.

When Bolling was first elected to the city council, his father, the late Sen. Royal Bolling Sr., and his brother, state Rep. Royal Bolling Jr., were both serving at the State House.

Bruce Bolling became council president in 1986.

Bolling, who had fought a lengthy battle against prostate cancer, died at his home in Roxbury early Tuesday morning.

His wife, Joyce Ferriabough Bolling, said he was pleased last week to live long enough to see their son start college.

This program aired on September 11, 2012. The audio for this program is not available.

Advertisement

More from WBUR

Listen Live
Close