Colin Powell's Biography

Colin Powell is a great man. He is a great inspiration to African Americans. He was an American politician and the first African American to serve as the 65th United States Secretary of State, under President George W. Bush. He also served as a General in the United States army. Powell was born in New York City on April 5,1937, and he was raised in the South Bronx. He graduated from Morris High School in 1954. He received a bachelor’s degree in geology from the City College of New York. Later he received a master degree in business administration from George Washington University. Powell was a professional soldier for 35 years. Powell got married in 1962 to Alma Johnson, who is the co-chair of America's Promise. They had three children named Michael, Linda and Anne. The America's Promise is a program started by Colin Powell in 1977 to help children sectors in the United States. Their son Michael is the former chair of the Federal Communications Commission. In 1962, Powell served as a military advisor in Vietnam. Six years later, the army appointed him as executive officer and division operations officer in Vietnam. He returned the United States in 1969, and earned his MBA from George Washington University in 1971. In 1972, Powell served as the assistant to the deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget. There he served in many government positions. From 1983 to 1986, he served as the senior military assistant to the Secretary of Defense. In 1987, he was appointed as the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs. He served in this position until 1989 when he was appointed as the 12th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In 1993, Powell retired from military service. He had received many medals during his career. Some of those medals were The Purple Heart and Bronze Star, the Soldiers Medal and the Secretary’s Award, and the Ronald Reagan Freedom Award. Powell also published his autobiography, My American Journey, in 1995. As he traveled around the country to contribute his book, there was talk about him running for President in 1996, but he refused to run. Instead he began a public speaking career, which lead him throughout the United States. President George W. Bush nominated him on December 16 of 2000, as Secretary of State. The U.S Senate approved of him and he was the 65th Secretary of State on January 20 of 2001. After September 11 his job was to manage America's relationship with foreign countries. Powell was very successful in persuading Bush to take the case of Iraq to the United Nations. After Saddam Hussein had been removed, Powell's new role was to again establish a working international union. This time to assist in the rebuilding of post-war Iraq. Powell announced he would resign after President Bush's first term. President Bush had nominated Condoleezza Rice to be Powell's successor. He resigned as Secretary of State on November 15, 2004, after President Bush won reelection. Powell is famous because after being born in Harlem and growing up in South Bronx, he was the first African American ever to be appointed Secretary of State. He has been National Security Adviser and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He has earned many medals and ribbons. He served in Vietnam and was badly injured. He is a very inspiring man. Colin Powell is not only an inspiration to African American's but he is an inspiration to me. He proves that anyone of any race should do what their heart desires. He had joined the Reserve Officer's Training Corp. and he described his experience as the happiest experience of his life. Joining this training corp. he was able to find something he loved that he knew he was good at. He describes it as finding himself. His shows to everyone that if you love something you should take the chance to try it out and maybe it will be your happiest experience of your life.