Object Details
- Caption
- Colin Luther Powell was born in Harlem, New York, on April 5, 1937. He graduated from Community College of New York in 1958 and earned his commission through the ROTC as a second lieutenant in the Regular Army. After a distinguished and highly decorated military career, Powell was promoted to four-star general in 1989. That same year he became the first African American Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), serving under President George H.W. Bush and President Bill Clinton. General Powell retired from the Army in 1993 after 35 years of service. In 2001 he became the first African American Secretary of State, serving under President George W. Bush before resigning in 2004. General Powell died on October 18, 2021, at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. After a funeral service at Washington National Cathedral in D.C., General Powell was buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.
- Description
- A US Army green service uniform shirt worn by Colin L. Powell as General and as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The short-sleeved pale green dress shirt has a standard collar and closes at the center front with seven (7) round clear plastic buttons. There are two (2) spare buttons sewn on the proper right front near the hem which are hidden by the proper left front button band when the shirt is closed. There are two (2) pleated breast pockets, one at each front side, with flaps that fasten at the center with one (1) round clear plastic button each. There are self-fabric shoulder straps, one on each shoulder, that fasten near the neck with one (1) round clear plastic button each. There are two (2) tags at the interior center back neck. The top tag is black fabric with gold embroidered text reading "CITADEL". The bottom tag is white with red embroidered text detailing laundering care. There is an additional white fabric tag at the exterior proper left front above the hem with printed text containing style, fiber content, and care information.
- Data Source
- National Museum of African American History and Culture
- Manufactured by
- Martin Manufacturing Company
- Worn by
- General Colin L. Powell, American, 1937 - 2021
- Subject of
- United States Army, American, founded 1775
- Date
- 1989-1993
- Credit Line
- Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of General Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret)
- Medium
- polyester and wool blend cloth with plastic buttons
- Dimensions
- H x W x D (on form): 33 1/2 × 25 1/2 × 14 in. (85.1 × 64.8 × 35.6 cm)
- Type
- military uniforms
- dress shirts
