Colin Powell had mixed legacy among some African Americans

By COREY WILLIAMS and AARON MORRISON
Associated Press

DETROIT (AP) — Colin Powell was the first Black person to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs and secretary of state. But some African Americans say that his voice on their behalf could have been louder. Powell died Monday of COVID-19 complications. He spent 35 years in the Army and rose to political prominence under Republican presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush. Through it all, some observers noted that Powell never seemed entirely comfortable talking about race. Andrew Rich is dean of the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership at City College of New York. He says Powell was “a trailblazer in every sense.”