United States Mission to the United Nations
Office of Press and Public Diplomacy
For Immediate Release
October 18, 2021
Statement by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield on the Passing of General Colin Powell
Today, we lost an American hero with the passing of former Secretary of State Colin Powell.
His life touched so many. From the New Yorkers who grew up with him, to those he mentored at the State Department, to those who served under him in the military; so many of us grieve today.
The son of immigrants, the first Black American Secretary of State and the youngest and first Black Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, he represented the best America has to offer. He broke down barriers and treated people with respect, integrity and decency, no matter their rank.
I will never forget the kindness he showed me when I had the honor to work for him at the State Department. In the years since, he was never too busy to share or to mentor.
Though he is gone, his legacy will live on through the countless individuals he inspired throughout his career. I offer my heartfelt condolences to his family.
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