Travels
Speeches and Remarks (including audio and video)
Photos
Colin L. Powell was nominated by President Bush on December 16, 2000 as Secretary of State. After being unanimously
confirmed by the U.S. Senate, he was sworn in as the 65th Secretary of State on January 20, 2001.
Prior to his appointment, Secretary Powell was the chairman of America’s Promise – The Alliance for Youth, a national
nonprofit organization dedicated to mobilizing people from every sector of American life to build the character and
competence of young people.
Secretary Powell was a professional soldier for 35 years, during which time he held myriad command and staff positions
and rose to the rank of 4-star General. He was Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs from December 1987
to January 1989. His last assignment, from October 1, 1989 to September 30, 1993, was as the 12th Chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff, the highest military position in the Department of Defense. During this time, he oversaw 28 crises, including
Operation Desert Storm in the victorious 1991 Persian Gulf war.
Following his retirement, Secretary Powell wrote his best-selling autobiography, My American Journey, which was
published in 1995. Additionally, he pursued a career as a public speaker, addressing audiences across the country and
abroad.
Secretary Powell was born in New York City on April 5, 1937 and was raised in the South Bronx. His parents, Luther and
Maud Powell, immigrated to the United States from Jamaica. Secretary Powell was educated in the New York City public
schools, graduating from the City College of New York (CCNY), where he earned a bachelor’s degree in geology. He also
participated in ROTC at CCNY and received a commission as an Army second lieutenant upon graduation in June 1958.
His further academic achievements include a Master of Business Administration degree from George Washington
University.
Secretary Powell is the recipient of numerous U.S. and foreign military awards and decoration