Up for auction “12th Joint Chief Chairman” Colin Powell Signed TLS Dated 1990.
ES-5497E
Colin Luther Powell (/ˈkoʊlɪn/ KOHL-in; April 5, 1937 – October 18, 2021) was an
American politician, statesman, diplomat, and United States Army officer
who served as the 65th United States Secretary of
State from 2001 to 2005. He was the first African-American Secretary of State. He served as the 15th United States
national security advisor from 1987 to 1989 and as the
12th Chairman of the
Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1989 to 1993. Powell was born in New
York City in 1937 to parents who had immigrated from Jamaica. He was raised in the South Bronx and educated in the New York City public
schools, receiving a bachelor's degree in geology from the City College of New York (CCNY).
He also participated in ROTC at CCNY and received a commission as
an Army second lieutenant upon
graduation in June 1958. He was a professional soldier for 35 years, during
which time he held many command and staff positions and rose to the rank
of four-star general. He was
Commander of the U.S. Army Forces Command in
1989. Powell's last military assignment, from October 1989 to September 1993,
was as Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, the highest military position in
the United States
Department of Defense. During this time, he oversaw 28 crises,
including the invasion of Panama in
1989 and Operation Desert Storm in
the Persian Gulf War against
Iraq in 1990–1991. He formulated the Powell Doctrine, which limits American military action unless
it satisfies criteria regarding American national security interests,
overwhelming force, and widespread public support. He served as Secretary of State under
Republican president George W. Bush. As
Secretary of State, Powell gave a speech before the United Nations regarding
the rationale for the Iraq War,
but he later admitted that the speech contained substantial inaccuracies. He
was forced to resign after Bush was reelected in 2004. In 1995, Powell wrote
his autobiography, My American Journey, and then in retirement
another book, It Worked for Me, Lessons in Life and Leadership (2012).
He pursued a career as a public speaker, addressing audiences across the
country and abroad. Before his appointment as Secretary of State, he
chaired America's Promise. In
the 2016 United
States presidential election, Powell, who was not a candidate, received three electoral votes from Washington for the
office of President of the United States. He won numerous U.S. and foreign military
awards and decorations. His civilian awards included the Presidential Medal of Freedom (twice),
the Congressional Gold Medal,
the Presidential Citizens Medal,
and the Secretary's
Distinguished Service Award.