Photograph of Gen. Powell's swearing in as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
date: label: Date
content: ca. 1989-1993
name: label: Photograph by
content: Unidentified
label: Subject of
content: General Colin L. Powell, American, 1937 - 2021
label: Subject of
content: President George H. W. Bush, American, born 1924
label: Subject of
content: Barbara Bush, American, 1925 - 2018
label: Owned by
content: General Colin L. Powell, American, 1937 - 2021
notes: label: Caption
content: This photograph was inscribed by President George H. W. Bush on the occasion of General Powell's appointment to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Powell was appointed by President Bush and was the first African American to hold this position. He continued serving under President Clinton before retiring from the Army in 1993. This photograph hung in the receiving room of the Powell family's residence in McLean, Virginia.
label: Description
content: A framed photograph of General Colin L. Powell at the ceremony for his swearing in as the 12th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff with President George H.W. Bush, and Barbara Bush. Powell is pictured at right, dressed in a Service Uniform outfitted with his earned insignia. He holds a microphone in his proper right hand and stands facing a soldier (left) holding a very large object for view. President George H.W. Bush and his wife Barbara Bush (center) stand close together observing the activities. The floor of the event space is a bright medium blue and well lit from the photographer’s vantage point. In the dark background and on the edges of the camera’s frame, are innumerable military personnel, five of which, flanking the President, Mrs. Bush, and General Powell, carry service branch standards and campaign streamers. In the upper left corner of the photograph is an inscription in white ink that reads: [To Colin – This was the / nicest thing in my whole / Presidency. Bar and I will never / forget. Thanks my noble friend. / George Bush]. The photograph (a) is set behind a dark grey square window mat designed with a gold double border and housed inside of a medium brown, deep set, wooden frame (b).
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Men
label: Topic
content: Military
label: Topic
content: Photography
label: Topic
content: U.S. History, 1969-2001
label: Topic
content: Women
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Photographs and Still Images
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: A2022.101.1.8ab
objectType: label: Type
content: frames (furnishings)
label: Type
content: photographs
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Unknown – Restrictions Possible
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: (a) ink on photographic paper
label: Medium
content: (b) wood , glass and cardboard
label: Dimensions
content: H x W (image): 7 1/2 × 9 7/16 in. (19 × 24 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D (frame): 15 3/4 × 16 1/2 × 1 in. (40 × 41.9 × 2.5 cm)