Framed quote from President Abraham Lincoln owned by Gen. Powell
date: label: Date
content: June 23, 1979
name: label: Created by
content: Stu Purviance, American
label: Received by
content: General Colin L. Powell, American, 1937 - 2021
label: Subject of
content: President Abraham Lincoln, American, 1809 - 1865
label: Subject of
content: United States Armed Forces, American, founded 1775
label: Subject of
content: United States Army, American, founded 1775
notes: label: Caption
content: On the day of his promotion to brigadier general on June 1, 1979, General Powell was given this quote by his friend, Stuart Purviance, then Secretary of Defense Harold Brown’s protocol officer. The quote is one part of a famous conversation between President Lincoln and a telegrapher for the Brigadier General of Fairfax Station and refers to the concern for the elements that matter most: “the horses, the soldiers, the employees, the clerks, the students, the faculty, whatever it takes to be successful in whatever it is you’re trying to achieve,” as Powell is quoted as saying in David Rubenstein’s book How to Lead.
label: Caption
content: Taped to the back of the frame was an envelope with instructions that it not be opened for ten years. When Powell opened the note in 1989, after he had become Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, he read Purviance's prediction that Powell would become Chief of Staff of the United States Army.
label: Caption
content: Powell kept the framed quote on the wall near his desk at his home in McLean, Virginia.
label: Description
content: A framed quote by United States President Abraham Lincoln, given to General Colin L. Powell. Printed in large black text on a cream paper background: [“I can make a / Brigadier General / in five minutes, but / it is not easy to replace / 110 horses / A. Lincoln”]. The paper (a) is set behind a brown mat in a black wood frame (b). On the reverse of the frame is an inscription on the cardboard backing, in black ink: [Presented to BG Colin Powell / by LtCol Stu Purviance, Civilian, USAF / on 23 June 1979 / with a prediction not to be opened / until 23 June 1989].
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Government
label: Topic
content: Men
label: Topic
content: Military
label: Topic
content: Politics
label: Topic
content: U.S. History, 1969-2001
label: Topic
content: U.S. History, Civil War, 1861-1865
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Memorabilia and Ephemera - Other
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Alma J. Powell
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: A2022.101.1.28ab
objectType: label: Type
content: documents
label: Type
content: frames (furnishings)
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: No known copyright restrictions
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: ink on paper (fiber product) wood and glass metal cardboard
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D: 10 13/16 × 6 11/16 × 1 1/2 in. (27.5 × 17 × 3.8 cm)