What Was Colin Powell's Net Worth? The Trailblazing Statesman Was the First Black Secretary of State

American statesman Colin Powell was a four-star general who served as national security adviser and later secretary of state, becoming the first Black secretary of state in the process.

Below, we take a quick look at the trailblazing diplomat's long and impressive career, from his military accomplishments to his political appointments, as well as his reported net worth.

Born in New York City's Harlem neighborhood on April 5, 1937, Colin was raised in the South Bronx by his parents Luther and Maud Powell, who were Jamaican immigrants. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in geology from City College of New York, during which time he also joined the Reserve Officer Training Corps. He would later get his MBA from George Washington University in 1971. But after graduating from undergrad in 1958, he was soon commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Army.

He spent 35 years in the Army, during which time he served two tours in Vietnam and later became deputy national security adviser and then national security adviser. In 1989, he was promoted to general and then appointed chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff by President George H. W. Bush. During this time, he oversaw 28 military crises including Operation Desert Storm during the Persian Gulf War in 1991.

Powell retired from the Army in 1993 and went on to found an organization called America's Promise, devoted to helping improve the lives of children and young people from all socioeconomic backgrounds. He also founded the research and education center Colin L. Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership.

In 2000, he was nominated as secretary of state and would serve under George W. Bush's first term before announcing his retirement in 2004. Among numerous other positions, he would go on to join the board of directors for the Council on Foreign Relations, serve as a spokesperson for the National Mentoring Month campaign, and join the Smithsonian advisory council.

According to Celebrity Net Worth, Powell — whose civilian awards included two Presidential Medals of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal — had a net worth of $60 million.

Powell passed away on Oct. 21, 2021, following complications from COVID-19 amid his battle with blood cancer. He was 84 years old.

"We want to thank the medical staff at Walter Reed National Medical Center for their caring treatment," his family announced on social media at the time. "We have lost a remarkable and loving husband, father, grandfather and a great American."