In a speech at the 1996 GOP convention, General Colin Powell remarked, "A nation as great and diverse as America deserves leadership that opens its arms not only to those who have already reaped the rewards of the American Dream, but to those who strive and struggle each day often against daunting odds to make that dream come true." Powell's own powerful words illustrate both the story of his own life, as well as the life of millions of Americans today. Powell's upbringing instilled in him a distinct set of values and beliefs that relate to his views on all current issues, including those concerning race and ethnicity. His own unique upbringing was influenced heavily by his family's ethnicity, and made him into a very different individual today. Powell breaks stereotypes and challenges the status quo in his missions. His power within the American governmental system can be analyzed by looking at the very sources of his character and personality.
Powell spent the majority of his life in New York. Born in New
York City in 1937 and raised in the South Bronx, his upbringing
was amid a very diverse society. His parents were Jamaican immigrants,
and they worked so as to give Powell the opportunity for an education.
Powell attended Morris High School and then graduated from City
College of New York. College is where he first encountered his
desire to be involved in the military. He was a member of the
ROTC, and even became a second lieutenant in 1958. Then, Powell
attended George Washington University and earned an M.B.A.
Powell enrolled in Basic courses in Georgia and then was subsequently
sent to Germany, and then back to various places in the United
States such as Kentucky, Kansas, and Colorado. Powell fought both
in Vietnam and Korea for a total of three tours of service during
the 1960's and 1970's. Before leaving for Vietnam, Powell married
his yearlong sweetheart, Alma. After Vietnam, he commanded an
airborne fleet and V Corps in Europe for the American army. The
following years show several different military and political
positions that Powell held, including the Commander in Chief at
Fort McPherson in Georgia, a White House Fellow in 1972, Senior
Military Assistant to the Deputy Secretary of Defense and to the
Secretary of Defense. After holding many other positions, Powell's
greatest moment of success was being named the national security
adviser by President Ronald Reagan in 1987. In 1989, Powell was
then named the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and became
"the first black officer to hold the nation's highest military
post." In this powerful role, he planned the 1989 Panama
invasion and "became extremely popular after he helped plan
the successful United States strategy in the 1991 Persian Gulf
War." After retiring in 1993, he wrote his autobiography,
My American Journey, and then went on a promotion tour.
Although there was much speculation that Powell would obtain the
presidential bid in 1996, he declined any such offer. Powell's
decision not to run shocked many, as most Americans believed Powell
had a very promising shot at winning and becoming the first black
President of the United States. Concern for his wife, three children,
and two grandchildren kept him wary of running. His wife received
racist hate mail concerning the possibility of Powell running,
and Powell maintained his stance that respect and agreement among
family members were of the most importance. "General Powell's
decision not to run for president was a mutual decision by him
and Alma, his wife of 33 years," People reported.
Powell knew Alma was not comfortable with the thought of presidency,
and so he declined the bid. His stress on family values clearly
stems from his own parents' teachings while he was growing up.
In 1997, Time reports that "having postponed running
for President, he is channeling his immense popularity into promoting
volunteerism. He will serve as the general chairman of the Presidents'
Summit for America's Future." Powell chose this position
over plenty of other offers from "corporate boards, foundations,
and academia." For Powell, the "challenge is to separate
the ideas that will work from other well-meaning but impractical
ones", as Powell is an active man who would rather run the
organization and actually interact with the kids himself rather
than just sit on a board and donate money. Powell desires to really
reach out to African-American youth through the Summit. Powell
said, " 'What we need is a place with mentoring relationships
with kidsAnd not just nice, clean, middle-class youngsters. I
mean the Brothers and Sisters who have never had this." Powell
is also an active board member of organizations such as the United
Negro College Fund, Howard University, and the Boys and Girls
Club of America. " 'A lot of people wanted to sit on study
groups and examine this and analyze that, butI wanted to do something,"
says Powell. Powell wants African-Americans themselves to reach
out and help African-American children, and he wants "concrete
goals, a focus on kids and deliverable results."
Powell passionately believes in activism, and he believes that
this can help all children towards attaining the American Dream,
just like he and his parents did. His dedication to volunteerism
correlates with his feelings about family values and the effects
on children. He said in his GOP convention speech: "Children
learn values by watching their parents in their homes. Values
which are then reinforced in their churches and places of worship,
in their schools and in the communities in which they live. And
values fuel families." If the right morals and right values
are not being taught in the home, then they can be reinforced
in organizations like the Boys and Girls Club. Outside-the-home
families can be created so as to nurture children.
Powell believes it is necessary to reach out and actively help
those in need, and that it should be partly the government's responsibility.
Beliefs such as these have caused some harsh criticism on Powell's
part. Because his upbringing was deeply rooted in values and family
cohesiveness, Powell strongly believes in abortion and affirmative
action, two issues which the GOP platform has always been against.
Although Powell is one of the most highly-respected politicians,
partly also because he is one of very few prominent black politicians,
his stature within the Republican party is valued greatly because
of his passion, dedication, views, and also his perspective of
that of an African-American man. The Democratic party's strongest
constituent is black voters, and blacks traditionally vote Democratic
in mass numbers. Powell is helping to change all that by breaking
the stereotype of the GOP as a party filled with curmudgeonly
old white men. He has infiltrated the party and challenged it
at its very center with his non-GOP-conformist views on abortion
and affirmative action.
Powell's opportunities at an early education were direct results
of his parents' hard work and his own motivation and desire. He
views his life as an "American Odyssey on the sidewalks of
New York." Powell's immigrant experience was that of being
the child of two immigrants trying to find a stake in America.
"My parents came to this country as immigrants over seventy
years ago," said Powell in 1996, "They came here, as
had millions of others, with nothing but hope, a willingness to
work hard and a desire to sue the opportunities given them by
their new land. A land which they came to love with all their
hearts." Powell was not the son of a governor or a wealthy
politician, but rather the son of immigrants who worked to provide
their children with opportunities. "They raised two children
to whom they gave a precious gift- a set of core beliefs,"
remarked Powell. He wants to show his struggling immigrant experience
so as to use his power to turn the GOP into the "pro-growth
party", which will strive to solve "the problems of
poverty, of hunger, of poor health care, of inadequate housing,
all of which tear away at the roots of strong families."
His ethnicity, rooted in traditional family values, is most likely
the single most important reason why he is not a prominent Democratic
leader. The GOP cares about these values, and wants parents to
take responsibility for raising and nurturing their children,
but Powell also believes that his Summit can help many parents
along the way. Powell had lived the American Dream in his eyes
and has seen its prospects bring his own parents success. Thus,
he believes that he is one of the "guardians of the American
Dream", and he must protect it.
1. Amvet Post 910 Home Page. "7:33 pm-Remarks by General
Colin Powell, Republican National Convention 1996." http://ww4.webbernet.net/~herman/colin/812733.
2. "Portrait of an Involved Leader: General Colin L. Powell,
USA (ret.)" Bank Marketing., Feb. 1999 v31 i2 p26(1).
3.Ibid. 2.
4."Powell, Colin L(uther)," Microsoft Encarta Online
Encyclopedia 2000. http://encarta.msn.com ©1997-2000 Microsoft
Corporation.
5.Ibid. 4.
6."Colin Powell." People Weekly, Feb 12, 1996,
v45 n6 p168(2).
7.Ibid 6.
8."The General's Next Campaign." Margaret Carlson. Time,
March 17, 1997. v149 n11 p28(2)
9. Ibid. 8.
10. Ibid 8.
11. "Colin Powell's challenge to black America: 'reach back
and reach down.' Ebony. Laura B. Randolph, June 1997 v52
n8 p20(3).
11.Ibid 11.
12.Ibid 11.
13.Ibid 1.
14.Ibid. 1.
15.Ibid. 1.
16. Ibid 1.
1. "7:33 pm-Remarks by General Colin Powell, Republican
National Convention 1996." Amvet Post 910 Home Page. http://ww4.webbernet.net/~herman/colin/812733.
2. "Portrait of an Involved Leader: General Colin L. Powell,
USA (ret.)" Bank Marketing., Feb. 1999 v31 i2 p26(1).
3. "Powell, Colin L(uther)," Microsoft Encarta Online
Encyclopedia 2000. http://encarta.msn.com ©1997-2000 Microsoft
Corporation.
4. "Colin Powell." People Weekly, Feb 12, 1996,
v45 n6 p168(2).
5. "The General's Next Campaign." Margaret Carlson.
Time, March 17, 1997. v149 n11 p28(2)
6. "Colin Powell's challenge to black America: 'reach back
and reach down.' Ebony. Laura B. Randolph, June 1997 v52
n8 p20(3).
Streamsearch.com-Video and audio clips of various Colin Powell speeches and interviews, plus view many other clips.
A brief biography with a picture and related links to other resources.
Search Lexis-Nexis for magazine and newspaper articles on Colin Powell.
Another bio with a transcript of Powell's 1996 Republican National Convention speech.
A transcript of Powell's 2000 Republican National Convention speech.
Lots of Colin Powell links-speeches, interviews, and biographies.
Buy General Powell's autobiography, My American Journey, and browse reviews of his book as well as other view books written about Powell.
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