The Late Gen. Colin L. Powell (Ret.) Left a Legacy for Those Who Admired Him

By Renarda A. Williams

                                                              

When I heard the news that Ret. Gen. and former Secretary of State Colin Powell had died due to covid-19 and other health complications, I was, at first, highly upset.

But then, God touched my spirit and made me realize that General Powell is no longer suffering. He is resting in peace with the ancestors and I should not be sad.

The late Presdent John F. Kennedy is noted for making the statement, "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country." As a four-star Army General, the country’s top state official and one who served in numerous other leadership roles, Powell did his duty to his country.

On April 4, 1998, as a reporter and columnist for a Black weekly newspaper in Monroe, La., I submitted an article on Powell. My topic was “America’s Promise wants to improve the lives of America’s Youth.” The story included an interview with Powell, who was chairman of America’s Promise-Alliance for Youth, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of at-risk young people in the country. At the time of the story, these young people numbered more than 15 million.

“[The word] ‘promise’ implies a solemn obligation,” Powell said in the story. “We are asking Americans to make promises to our young people – promises that will help them to be successful in life. Most often the promise will be in the form of a commitment to provide resources – money, time, talent and expertise. We are asking every state, city and town to become ‘states of promise’ and ‘communities of promise’ as a way of aligning their efforts with the ... resources goals of America’s Promise.”

On another occasion, also writing for the Free Press, I also reviewed Powell’s book, “My American Journey” (available at Amazon.com). The son of Jamaican immigrants, Powell revealed in the book how he overcame his obstacles, growing up in the South Bronx, to become a four-star general. Among his many high-profile roles, he served as the 16th United States national security advisor under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush; the 12th and first Black Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under presidents Bush and Bill Clinton; and the 65th Secretary of State under President George W. Bush, son of George H.W. Bush.

As I think about Powell, I smile. I wish I’d had the privilege of meeting him in person, but take comfort in the fact that I had a tiny part in letting people know how he touched all our lives.