Colin Powell, a retired four star general who had become the country’s first black US Secretary of State died on Monday October 18. According to his family’s post on Facebook, Powell had died due to COVID 19.

“We’ve lost a remarkable and loving husband, father, godfather, and a great American,” the family had stated.

 Powell’s leadership in several Republican administrations helped shape American forgiven policy in the last years of the 20th century and the first years of the 21st century. The former US Secretary of State was fully vaccinated and was being treated at Walter Reed National Medical Center.

Powell had multiple myeloma which is a cancer type of white blood cell. Which could harm the body’s immune system, he had surgery for prostate cancer during his time as Secretary of State. Most recently it was discovered that he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

President Bush

Under President George W. Bush, Powell had become the first black US Secretary of State. Powell delivered a well-known speech to the United Nations Security Council back in February 2003. The purpose of the speech was laying out the agreement for invading Iraq and stating that there was intelligence that they had mass destruction weapons.

A month later US troops launched an invasion. The evidence that Powell presented was proven false about Iraq having Biological weapons. Shortly after Bush’s re-election in 2004, Powell left the administration. Former President Bush and former first lady lady Laura Bush shared their thoughts on Powell’s death. However Bush claims the most important thing about Powell was that he was a family man and a friend. He was standing fourth in the presidential line of succession.

Growing Up and Education

Colin Powell was born in New York City and raised in the South Bronx coming from immigrant parents from Jamaica. Powell even attended college at City College of New York where he would receive a bachelor’s degree in geology. Colin Powell’s impact at his alumni school has become an impact. The Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership at the City College of New York. Serene Sise, a graduate student and ROTC cadet states, “He is not gone, he’s here he left us a legacy.”

Awards

Even though Colin Powell has won civilian awards such as the Presidential Medal of Freedom twice, those weren’t his only two awards. Powell has also won numerous US and foreign awards and decorations. Along with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Powell has also won Congressional Gold Medal, the Presidential Citizens Medal, and the Secretary’s Distinguished Service Award.