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Quick facts for kids Colin Powell
Official portrait, January 2001

65th United States Secretary of State
In office January 20, 2001 – January 26, 2005
President	George W. Bush
Deputy	Richard Armitage
Preceded by	Madeleine Albright
Succeeded by	Condoleezza Rice
12th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
In office October 1, 1989 – September 30, 1993
President	George H. W. Bush Bill Clinton
Deputy	Robert T. Herres David E. Jeremiah
Preceded by	William J. Crowe
Succeeded by	John Shalikashvili
16th United States National Security Advisor
In office November 23, 1987 – January 20, 1989
President	Ronald Reagan
Deputy	John Negroponte
Preceded by	Frank Carlucci
Succeeded by	Brent Scowcroft
United States Deputy National Security Advisor
In office December 1986 – November 23, 1987
President	Ronald Reagan
Preceded by	Peter Rodman
Succeeded by	John Negroponte

Personal details
Born	Colin Luther Powell (1937-04-05)April 5, 1937 New York City, U.S.
Died	October 18, 2021(2021-10-18) (aged 84) Bethesda, Maryland, U.S.
Cause of death	Problems caused by COVID-19
Political party	Independent (before 1995, 2021)
Other political affiliations	Republican (1995–2021)
Spouse	Alma Johnson (m. 1962)
Children	Michael, Linda, Annemarie
Education	City College of New York (BS) George Washington University (MBA)
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army
Years of service	1958–1993
Rank	General
Unit	3rd Armored Division 23rd Infantry Division
Commands	Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff United States Army Forces Command V Corps 2nd Brigade 101st Airborne Division
Battles/wars	Vietnam War Invasion of Panama Gulf War
Awards	Defense Distinguished Service Medal (4) Army Distinguished Service Medal (2) Navy Distinguished Service Medal Air Force Distinguished Service Medal Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit (2) Soldier's Medal Bronze Star Medal Full list

Colin Luther Powell, KCB (Honorary), MSC, (April 5, 1937 – October 18, 2021) was an American General in the United States Army and politician. He was the 65th United States Secretary of State (2001-2005), serving under President George W. Bush. He was the first African American appointed to that position. As a General in the United States Army, Powell also served as National Security Advisor (1987–1989) and as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1989–1993), holding the latter position during the Gulf War. He was the first and, so far, the only African American to serve on the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Early life
Army career
United States Secretary of State
Later life
Death
- Dates of rank
- Awards and decorations
Other achievements
Images for kids
See also

Early life

He was born Colin Luther Powell on April 5, 1937, in Harlem, New York City, New York. His father, Luther Powell, was a shipping clerk. His mother, Maud Powell, was a seamstress. Both had immigrated to the United States from Jamaica. He grew up in south Bronx. He joined the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) while he was a student at City College of New York. He commanded his unit's precision drill team and achieved the highest rank in ROTC, cadet colonel. When he graduated in 1958, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the United States Army.

Army career

His first assignment was in West Germany. He was promoted to the rank of Captain on June 1, 1962. Powell then served two tours of duty during the Vietnam War. He was wounded twice while in Vietnam. Once by a Viet Cong booby trap. He received a Purple Heart. A year later he received a Bronze Star Medal. He was wounded a second time in a helicopter crash where he saved two other soldiers. For this action he was awarded the Soldier's Medal. Between his two tours in Vietnam, Powell was promoted to the rank of major in May 1966.

Powell then earned an MBA degree at George Washington University in Washington, DC. He received a White House fellowship and worked in the Office of Management and Budget during 1972–1973. As a lieutenant colonel Powell served as a battalion commander in the 2d Infantry Division. In 1975 Powell was promoted to full colonel and became a brigade commander in the 101st Airborne Division. He was promoted to the rank of general in 1989. He was appointed to the position of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff by President George H. W. Bush. He oversaw a number of crisis situations including Operation Desert Storm. In 1993 he retired from the military as a four-star general.

United States Secretary of State

In 2001 he was nominated and confirmed as US Secretary of State. After the September 11 attacks he took a leading role in aligning allies for military action in Afghanistan. Powell dealt with a number of international crises including a near war between India and Pakistan (both of which had nuclear weapons) in 2001–2002. In February 2003 he appeared before the United Nations Security Council. He presented evidence that Iraq was hiding weapons of mass destruction (WMD). This convinced many in the US that Iraq was a threat. In September 2004 he appeared before the United States Congress to testify that the intelligence used to show Iraq had WMDs was wrong. Then, on November 15, 2004, Powell announced his resignation.

Later life

Powell supported Barack Obama for President of the United States in 2008 and 2012.

In 2016, while not a candidate for that year's election, he received three electoral votes from Washington for President of the United States. After Barack Obama, Powell was only the second Black person to receive electoral votes in a presidential election.

Powell was a critic of the Donald Trump administration, believing he was not qualified to be president. He supported former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for president in 2016. On June 7, 2020, Powell announced he would be voting for former Vice President Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. In August, Powell delivered a speech in support of Biden's candidacy at the 2020 Democratic National Convention.

In January 2021, after the Capitol building was attacked by Trump supporters, Powell said he left the Republican Party.

Death

On October 18, 2021, Powell, who was hospitalized at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland for multiple myeloma-related treatment, died from problems caused by COVID-19 on October 18, 2021 at the age of 84. He was fully vaccinated; however his cancer made his immune system weak. He also had Parkinson's disease when he died.

Dates of rank

Promotions
Rank	Date
General	April 4, 1989
Lieutenant general	July 1, 1986
Major general	August 1, 1983
Brigadier general	June 1, 1979
Colonel	February 1, 1976
Lieutenant colonel	July 9, 1970
Major	May 24, 1966
Captain	June 2, 1962
First lieutenant	December 30, 1959
Second lieutenant	June 9, 1958

Awards and decorations

Badges

Combat Infantryman Badge
Expert Infantryman Badge
Ranger Tab
Parachutist Badge
Pathfinder Badge
Air Assault Badge
Presidential Service Badge
Secretary of Defense Identification Badge
Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge
Army Staff Identification Badge

Medals and ribbons

	Defense Distinguished Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
	Army Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
	Navy Distinguished Service Medal
	Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
	Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal
	Defense Superior Service Medal
	Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
	Soldier's Medal
	Bronze Star Medal
	Purple Heart
	Air Medal
	Joint Service Commendation Medal
	Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
	Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction (1993)
	Presidential Medal of Freedom (1991)
	Presidential Citizens Medal
	Secretary's Distinguished Service Award
	National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star
	Vietnam Service Medal with silver service star
	Army Service Ribbon
	Army Overseas Service Ribbon with award numeral 4
N/A	Gerald R. Ford Medal for Distinguished Public Service (2021)

Foreign decorations

	Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) (United Kingdom)
	Légion d'honneur, Grand Cross (France)
	Meritorious Service Cross (M.S.C.) (Canada)
	Skanderbeg's Order (Albania)
	Order of Stara Planina in the First Order (Bulgaria)
	Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation
	Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

Other achievements

1993 he was the founder of America's Promise. This is a charitable organization that helps at-risk children.
1993 was awarded an honorary Knight Commander (KCB) of the Most Honorable Order of the Bath by Queen Elizabeth II.
1995, Powell published his memoir, "My American Journey".
1997 he started America's Promise Alliance to help children and youths.
2012 he published his second memoir "It Worked For Me: In Life and Leadership".

Images for kids

Richard Nixon and Powell, 1973
President Ronald Reagan and National Security Advisor Powell in 1988
Powell in November 1989, in his official portrait as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Powell, as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, waves from his motorcade during the Persian Gulf War Welcome Home Parade in New York City.
Powell, National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld listen to President George W. Bush speak.
Computer-generated image of an alleged mobile production facility for biological weapons, presented by Powell at the UN Security Council. On May 27, 2003, U.S. and U.K. experts examined the trailers and declared they had nothing to do with biological weapons.
Powell holding a model vial of anthrax while giving a presentation to the United Nations Security Council in February 2003
Secretary Powell with NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
Powell with Ban Ki-moon, 2004
Powell walks with newly crowned King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, Vice President Dick Cheney, and former President George H. W. Bush, Saudi Arabia, August 2005
Powell's coffin is carried by an Armed Forces body bearer team at his funeral on November 5, 2021.
Colin Powell Elementary School in Union City, New Jersey, on October 18, 2021, the day Powell died
Parachutist Badge
Pathfinder Badge
Presidential Service Badge
Secretary of Defense Identification Badge
Army Staff Identification Badge