Trivia

Was the first Black person to serve as U.S. Secretary of State.

Served 2 tours of duty in Vietnam, and received the Purple Heart.

Earned an MBA from George Washington University in 1971.

Served as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1989-1993).

Served as President Ronald Reagan's National Security Adviser (1987-1989).

Received the Defense Distinguished Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Distinguished Service Medal (Army), the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart and other awards.

He served the Jimmy Carter Administration as an executive assistant in both the Energy Department and the Defense Department.

Has three children with Alma Powell: Michael Powell, Linda Powell, Anne Powell.

In his autobiography, he stated that his mother was descended from Gen. Sir Eyre Coote (b. 1760, d. 1823), Governor of Jamaica (1806-1808), though he did not provide details of the descent.

He is related to musician Pete Wentz. Pete's maternal grandfather, Arthur Winston Lewis, who served as a U.S. Ambassador to Sierra Leone, is a cousin of Powell's.

Was chosen as senior military assistant to Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger during the Ronald Reagan Administration.

While in college, he joined the ROTC, and received a commission as a second lieutenant upon graduation.

Graduated from City College of New York in 1958 with a B.S. in geology.

Served as US Secretary Of State under George W. Bush from 2001 to 2005.

One of his passions was restoring old cars.

Graduated from Morris High School (South Bronx, NY) in 1954.

His first name is pronounced "CO-lin" (with a long O) rather than the more normal "COLL-in" with a short O.

He was the son of Maud Ariel (McCoy) and Luther Theophilus Powell, who were emigrants from Jamaica.

His passing from COVID-19, even though he was fully vaccinated, caused much fear when it was reported. However, it was then reported that Powell had been battling early stages of Parkinson's disease and multiple myeloma, also combined with his advanced age, making his system much weaker.

Passed away less than four months after Donald Rumsfeld, who was another top official in the George W. Bush Presidential administration. Both of the men had also been suffering from multiple myeloma as well.

Powell never ran for elected office despite being frequently persuaded to do so by the Republican Party. He was sought by party leaders to run for president in 1996 against Bill Clinton, but declined. In 2016, despite not being a candidate for president, he received three electoral votes from faithless electors.