Colin Powell

1937–2021 · U.S. Army four-star general · Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, later Secretary of State

Born in Harlem on 5 April 1937, Colin Powell rose through the U.S. Army to four-star general, served as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from October 1989 to September 1993, and was Secretary of State from January 2001 to January 2005. He died on 18 October 2021. He is on this page not as an author but as a transmitter: Michael A. Ledeen names Powell among the public figures who repeated “America is great because America is good” and credited it to Tocqueville, and quote sites later dropped the middleman and pinned the line on Powell himself.

Traced to source

1 quote we’ve traced

“America is great because she is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, she will cease to be great”

Disputed

Not actually Colin Powell

Often misattributed to Colin Powell

Famous lines widely pinned on Colin Powell that we’ve traced to someone else.

“America is great because she is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, she will cease to be great”

actually Unknown

“Organizations don't get things done. Plans and programs don't get things done. Only people get things done”

actually Hyman G. Rickover

On the research bench

Commonly pinned on Colin Powell — under review

5 lines flagged as pinned on Colin Powell and queued for a full source trace — not yet verified.

“Every organization should tolerate rebels who tell the emperor he has no clothes.”

Disputed

“If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude.”

Disputed

“Leadership is the art of accomplishing more than the science of management says is possible.”

Disputed

“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work and learning from failure.”

Disputed

“You break it, you own it.”

Disputed

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