Today In Black History: Colin Powell
1st Black Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and U.S. Secretary of State
Issue #727 Today In Black History, Tuesday, September 17, 2024
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Colin Luther Powell was born on April 5, 1937, in Harlem, New York, and was raised by his Jamaican immigrant parents. He was the first African American to serve as the United States Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Powell's academic path led him to City College of New York, where he joined the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC). Upon graduation in 1958, he received a commission as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army, setting the stage for a distinguished military career.
He underwent training in Georgia, where he was refused service in bars and restaurants because of the color of his skin. After basic training at Fort Benning, Powell was assigned to the 48th Infantry in West Germany as a platoon leader.
Powell also graduated from George Washington University with an MBA in 1971 and an honorary doctor of public service in 1990.
He was the first chairman to attain his commission through the ROTC.
Powell's early experiences in the Army included two tours of duty in Vietnam. His rise through the ranks was marked by increasingly responsible positions, from battalion commander in Korea to serving in the Pentagon and the White House as National Security Advisor under President Ronald Reagan.
Powell was a professional soldier for thirty-five years, holding various command and staff positions and rising to the rank of four-star general.
In 1989, President George H.W. Bush appointed General Powell as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the highest military position in the Department of Defense. During this time, he played a pivotal role in planning and executing operations such as the invasion of Panama in 1989 and the Persian Gulf War in 1991.
In 2001, President George W. Bush appointed him Secretary of State, the first African American to hold this position. Secretary Powell was known during his tenure for his pragmatic approach to foreign policy and advocacy for diplomatic solutions to international conflicts. However, his tenure was also marked by the contentious presentation to the United Nations regarding weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
Secretary Powell's autobiography, "My American Journey," chronicles his life and the values that guided his career.
Powell's impact is also evident in his post-government efforts, particularly through the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership at City College of New York, which aims to develop the next generation of public servants and leaders.
On October 18, 2021, Powell, who was being treated for multiple myeloma, died at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center of complications from COVID-19 at the age of 84. He had been vaccinated, but his myeloma compromised his immune system; he also had early-stage Parkinson's disease. President Joe Biden and four of the five living former presidents issued statements calling Powell an American hero. Donald Trump, who did not attend Secretary Powell's funeral, released a statement saying, "He made plenty of mistakes, but anyway, may he rest in peace!" and referred to him as a "classic RINO.”
Former Secretary of State and Four-Star General Dr. Colin Powell is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Section 60, the same section Donald Trump recently desecrated when he tried to illegally film a political commercial surrounded by the graves of fallen soldiers of the recent wars.
Today In Black History
In 1787, the U.S. Constitution was approved at the Philadelphia Convention with three clauses protecting slavery.
In 1840, a Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the not guilty verdicts of murder and mutiny for Joseph Cinque and 50 other slaves.
In 1849, Harriet Tubman made her 1st escape from slavery in Maryland along with two of her brothers.
In 1861, Black teacher Mary Peake taught the first class for escaped slaves at Fortress Monroe, Virginia, which is now HBCU Hampton University.
In 1871, HBCU Hampton Institute was founded.
In 1878, Black inventor W.A. Lavalette patented a printing press.
In 1947, Jackie Robinson, the first Black in Major League baseball, was named the National League “Rookie of the Year.”
In 1953, baseball player Ernie Banks became the 1st Black player for the Chicago Cubs.
In 1962, the U.S. Justice Department filed the 1st lawsuit to end segregation in public schools.
In 1973, Illinois became the first state to honor Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday as a government holiday.
In 1983, Vanessa Williams was crowned the first African-American Miss America.
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