Colin Powell and Kindness
Black Dignity: The Struggle Against Domination by Vincent Lloyd was an interesting read for me this week. It was one of those books that I read cover to cover because I wanted to capture all that it was saying. As I reflect now on the writing, there are some aspects of the book that I can agree with, and some I find harsh or troubling. In this post I will look at a few trouble spots I had in my heart as I read the book. Then I will follow that with an example of a successful black American in recent history. Finally I will look at kindness, because that is really how we need to deal with one another. That’s the bottom line.
Some Trouble Spots
I think that the most troubling part of the book, for me, dealt with the family unit and the author’s views on this. [1] He also talked in dismal terms of Christianity as we know it, and this bothered me as well. [2] The author also painted a picture in the book of hopelessness for black Americans today. [3] On page 104, Martin Luther King Jr.’s character and work is considered “suspect”. [4] This is the first time I have ever read anything like this about King. Maybe I am living in a shell. I don’t know. Here in southern Mississippi, Martin Luther King Jr. is a hero, and a saint. He is respected and honored by all races. To consider him anything less today seems outrageous.
A Successful Black American Example in a Harsh Society
When I think of black American leaders in our recent history, that are certainly modern examples for young and old alike, my mind goes immediately to Colin Powell. He was born in 1937 in Harlem, New York. [5] He passed away just recently, in 2021, due to complications from Covid and cancer. [6] His parents were Luther and Maud Powell, both immigrants from Jamaica. [7] They were very poor. [8] He grew up in South Bronx and attended the New York City public school system. [9] He married Alma Johnson and had two daughters and one son. [10]
He enlisted in the United States Army and actually served two tours of duty in the Vietnam War. [11] First President John F. Kennedy sent him there. One year later he was wounded, and was awarded his first Purple Heart. [12] He returned to Vietnam in 1968 for a second tour of duty as a commander. This time he was recognized for his bravery when he escaped a helicopter crash, but kept returning to the scene of the accident to rescue his fellow soldiers. [13]
He served thirty-five years in the United States Army, and rose to the rank of four star general. [14] In 1987, he served as National Security Advisor under President Ronald Reagan. [15] In 1989, under President George H.W. Bush, he was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. [16] And from the years 1989 to 1993 when he retired from military service, he oversaw twenty-eight military crises – including Desert Storm, and the Persian War against Iraq. [17]
Colin Powell became the most decorated black man in United States military history in 1993. [18] His medals included:
- Congressional Gold Medal
- Two Presidential Medals of Freedom
- Bronze Star
- Two Purple Hearts
- President’s Citizens Medal
- Secretary of State Distinguished Service Medal
- Secretary of Energy Distinguished Service Medal [19]
In 2001, Colin Powell became the Secretary of State for President George W. Bush. He was the first black person in the United States history to fill this role. [20]
Kindness is Key
Colin Powell earnestly believed that kindness was key to successful leadership, and just success in general. He once said, “Don’t just show kindness in passing, or to be courteous. Show it in depth, show it with passion, and expect nothing in return. Kindness is not just about being nice; it’s about recognizing another human being who deserves care and respect.” [21]
Right now, I teach fifth and sixth graders. My sixth graders have this character trait of kindness to one another down pat. However, my fifth graders are lacking in this area. We work on being kind to one another every single day. Colin Powell said, “Remain calm. Be kind.” [22] I seriously need to put that on my classroom wall!
Jesus said, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself”. (Mark 12:31) [23] And Paul expounds on this idea when he says in Ephesians 4:32, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” [24] I believe Colin Powell, Jesus and Paul all three nailed it!
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About the Author
Tonette Kellett
Missionary, teacher, Bible student, traveler ... Having lived in Kenya and Korea, I now live in Mississippi and work with the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.11 responses to “Colin Powell and Kindness”
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Tonette!
I think you and I BOTH!!! had the same thoughts while reading this book!! I thought of you when I was putting my blog together. I thought how I might write like Tonette, who simply uses an example of a leader to drives her point home. We BOTH did this in our blogs this week!! Let the leaders that we chose speak for themselves and the dignity that they bring to humanity!
I had similar thoughts and feelings regarding Llyods writing. It was a mix… but there was some greater amount of grief. I was grieved at his despair.
Great post! I love how in sync we both were in how we approached this. Character wins and there are so many people to choose to look up to-including Martin Luther King. I am not from the south. What is it about Martin Luther that you admire?
Kristy,
Thank you for your kind post! As for Martin Luther King Jr, I admire much about him. He was a man of deep faith. When he preached truth to racists, many of whom claimed to be Christians, it came straight from the Word of God. He was also a brilliant man. He went to college when he was only 15! He had his PhD by his mid-20s! And he was inspirational. And continues to be today.
Hi Tonette,
Thanks for your post and thoughtful reflection. As I was reading your post about Colin Powell and kindness I became curious. In what ways would you say Colin Powell exemplified the value of kindness in leadership, and how can his beliefs about kindness be applied to foster positive change in society, particularly in addressing issues related to race and inequality?
Daron,
Thank you for your post and your question. Kindness doesn’t automatically come to mind when reflecting upon the life of Colin Powell because he was such a great general. He was a military man. However, because of his humble background, he was also a great humanitarian. He headed up a national “giving back” initiative centered around volunteerism. He cared about others, particularly those in the inner cities. His heart went out to minority children who face so many challenges. These acts exemplify kindness in leadership to me.
Tonette – I admire the honesty and vulnerability in your writing. I always look forward to your posts! I completely agree with you that kindness is a virtue, but I also empathize with LLoyd’s definition of Black Rage and the righteous sense of injustice he explains. I think about how difficult it would be for me to be kind to someone who devalued or persecuted me. That type of kindess in the face of hatred can only come from one place – the love of Jesus. I’m thankful we have His example to follow. You reminded me of that!
Laura,
Thank you for your post and insights… You always help me see things from a different perspective. I like that!
Tonette, I really enjoyed your post and the summary of Colin Powell’s accomplishments.
I do recall during the early civil rights movement many Blacks, those considered more militant according to the FBI, were not fans of MLK, Jr. Today, I suspect any backlash against MLK, Jr., particularly from the BLM movement would be the fact that the civil rights movement originated in the church.
Why do you think Lloyd painted such a hopeless picture for Black Americans?
Audrey,
I hadn’t thought of the church roots being the problem for the BLM movement today. That makes sense.
I think Lloyd painted such a hopeless picture for Black Americans because he might not know Christ? I believe where Christ is, there is hope for everyone. That’s simplistic, I know. But where does true hope spring from? Christ.
Tonette,
I loved your thoughts and enjoyed reading about Colin Powell’s great service. As far as Lloyd’s writing, I think I understand him.
Don’t you sometimes struggle with hope amidst your ministry to the natives? It can be hard to remain hopeful when the reality seems opposite, I think God teaches us to have more faith in his unseen work as opposed to the current realities.
When I think of you I think of: “Remain calm. Be kind.”
You are the prime example of this! Why do you think your 6th graders have this down and not your 5th graders? Is it maturity of the 1 year, or is there a shared experience that helps them to be kinder to each other?
Great post!
Alana,
I think it’s a combination of both of these things. Maturity certainly plays a part. But they have also individually experienced so much trauma in their young lives that collectively, they just don’t know how to deal with each other in a kind way. I think that’s really it.