First black Secretary of State Colin Powell dies at 84 years old
COLUMBIA,Mo (KMIZ)
Colin Powell's family announced the news this morning on Facebook that he passed away. In the post, the family says he was fully vaccinated but he was also immunocompromised. Reports say Powell had multiple Myeloma, a rare form of blood cancer.
Powell was born on April 5, 1937, in Harlem, New York. He was raised in the South Bronx and graduated from Morris High School in 1954.
Powell studied geology at City College of New York and he later found his love for the military while he served in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC).
Powell held many positions while serving our country. He served under four presidents, Ronald Reagan, George H.W Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.
Powell was the first African American national security adviser and later appointed chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, which is the top military adviser to the president.
Powell was also appointed the first black secretary of state in 2000. Powell was appointed by George W. Bush. Documents report during this time, this was the highest rank in civilian government ever held by an African American.
 
Stephen Quackenbush is an associate professor of international studies at the University of Missouri. He says Powell's influence on military policy has a lasting impact on the United States domestic and foreign policy.
"I think he's had a profound influence on our American society, particularly with regards to military and foreign affairs since the late 80's," said Quackenbush.
Powell's reputation came into question when he pushed faulty intelligence to United Nations about Iraq having weapons of mass destruction. Powell later admitted he was wrong.
Quackenbush believes there was more in play that lead the U.S to war with Iraq.
"President Bush, Vice president Cheney, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, all of them and others as well were much more sort of pushing the US to war with Iraq," said Quackenbush.
