Battle Dress Uniform trousers worn by General Colin L. Powell
date: label: Date
content: ca. 1982-1993
name: label: Manufactured by
content: Edgar Industries, Inc., American
label: Worn by
content: General Colin L. Powell, American, 1937 - 2021
label: Subject of
content: United States Army, American, founded 1775
label: Subject of
content: United States Armed Forces, American, founded 1775
label: Subject of
content: United States Department of Defense
notes: label: Caption
content: 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.
label: Description
content: One U.S. Army Battle Dress Uniform (BDU) trousers worn by General Colin L. Powell. These long sleeve camouflage BDU trousers are a boxy construction of cotton and nylon blend and feature a hidden fly closure of two (2) olive green plastic buttons. There are seven (7) belt loops and a yellow paper dry cleaner’s tag attached to one of the loops on the proper left side of the waist. Two (2) light green adjustable bands are attached to the waist between two belt loops on each side of the waist. There are two (2) hand pockets, one on each leg and two (2) extra-large pleated cargo pockets halfway down each leg. Each cargo pocket has flat-edged flaps tacked by two (2) hidden green plastic buttons above reinforced knees. On the back of the trousers is a reinforced seat and two (2) large cargo pockets with two (2) olive green plastic buttons hidden by flat-edged flaps. At the bottom of each leg are green drawstrings. The interior of the trousers is unlined and feature several fabric tags, to include one manufacturer's tag attached to the interior proper right pocket. The tag has faded printed text with manufacturer’s specifications of fiber, style, and care information and instructions.
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Clothing and dress
label: Topic
content: Military
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Clothing - Military Uniforms
label: Exhibition
content: Double Victory: The African American Military Experience
label: On View
content: NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Community/Third Floor, 3 053
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: A2022.101.1.104.2
objectType: label: Type
content: trousers
label: Type
content: uniforms
label: Type
content: military uniforms
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: cotton (fiber)
label: Dimensions
content: Inseam: 31 7/8 in. (81 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: L x W: 43 1/2 × 18 5/16 in. (110.5 × 46.5 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: Waist: 18 5/16 in. (46.5 cm)