Photograph by
The White House, founded 1792
Subject of
General Powell, Colin L., American, 1937 - 2021
President Clinton, Bill, American, born 1946
Les Aspin, American, 1938 - 1995
Owned by
General Powell, Colin L., American, 1937 - 2021
Date
1993
Medium
(a) ink on paper (fiber product)
(b) wood and glass
Dimensions
H x W (image): 6 5/16 × 9 1/2 in. (16 × 24.1 cm)
H x W (sheet): 7 1/16 × 9 1/2 in. (18 × 24.1 cm)
H x W x D: 15 1/4 × 16 3/4 × 1 in. (38.7 × 42.5 × 2.5 cm)
Caption
This photograph was inscribed by President Bill Clinton on the occasion of General Powell's 56th birthday. Powell was then serving as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the first African American to hold that position. This photograph hung in the sitting room of the Powell family's residence in McLean, Virginia.
Description
A framed and inscribed black-and-white photograph of General Colin L. Powell, with President Bill Clinton and Defense Secretary Les Aspin.
This photograph (a) captures the 12th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Powell, 18th Secretary of Defense, Les Aspin, and President Bill Clinton, smiling and talking, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C. General Powell (left) and Secretary Aspin (center) are dressed casually in long sleeve tops and loose trousers. President Clinton, as he notes in his inscription, is dressed in a dark suit and dotted necktie. The men stand on and near the Great Seal on the carpet. In the background, the floor to ceiling curtains are open to the bright daytime. A tall U.S. flag on pole stands in front of curtains and beside a console table with several picture frames and a large plant. Three short-back wooden chairs can be seen throughout the room, in addition to two sofas. In the bottom white sheet of the photograph is a handwritten inscription in black ink that reads: [To Gen. Colin Powell – on a rare day I am more dressed up than you – / with thanks, on your birthday, for your service to America. Bill Clinton 4-5-93]. The photograph (a) is set behind a white square window mat and housed inside of a mahogany brown, deep set, wooden frame (b).
Place captured
Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
Classification
Photographs and Still Images
Type
black-and-white prints
Topic
Government
Men
Military
Photography
Politics
Social life and customs
U.S. History, 1969-2001
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Alma J. Powell
Object number
A2022.101.1.13ab
Restrictions & Rights
No known copyright restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5fdf268a2-b3cf-4f31-b1b7-d8c5e53ed05e

Cataloging is an ongoing process and we may update this record as we conduct additional research and review. If you have more information about this object, please contact us at NMAAHCDigiTeam@si.edu

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