Photograph of Gen. Colin Powell with President Clinton and Vice Pres. Al Gore: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A framed black-and-white photograph of General Colin L. Powell with President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore. This photograph (a) captures the 12th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Powell (center), President Bill Clinton (right), and Vice President Al Gore (left) standing close together, in the middle of a meeting at the White House, in Washington, D.C. General Powell is dressed in one of his four-star General Service uniforms and listens intently, with his head tilted, to President Clinton speaking. To General Powell’s proper right stands Vice President Gore, wearing a dark suit, white shirt, and patterned necktie. President Clinton wears a white shirt and dark necktie and holds papers in both of his hands, with a pen between his proper left fingers. Behind and between General Powell and President Clinton Defense Secretary Les Aspin is partially visible.

In the bottom sheet of the photograph are two handwritten inscriptions. On the left in black ink is: [With deepest respect / and thanks, Al Gore]. On the right in black ink is: [To Colin – with thanks for your 35 years of service to / a grateful nation, for your concern for / America’s men and women in uniform, / for your valuable, vigilant, and good-humored / advice to me as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs / Bill Clinton 9-30-93]. The inscriptions are dated the last day of General Powell’s position as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the first African American appointed to such role. In the rectangular window mat below the photograph is a typed quote by Founding Father and US President, Thomas Jefferson: [“… with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, / we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our / sacred Honor,” / THOMAS JEFFERSON]. The photograph (a) is set behind a light grey square window mat and housed inside of a goldish silver, deep set, wooden frame (b). The reverse of the frame is covered by a light brown craft paper sheet without markings where there are screw-in hanging hooks, and a silver hanging wire.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: September 30, 1993
• Photograph by: The White House, founded 1792
• Subject of: General Colin L. Powell, American, 1937 - 2021
• Subject of: President Bill Clinton, American, born 1946
• Subject of: Al Gore, American, born 1948
• Subject of: Les Aspin, American, 1938 - 1995
• Owned by: General Colin L. Powell, American, 1937 - 2021
• Type: frames (furnishings)
• Type: black-and-white photographs
• Type: photographs
• Medium: (a) ink on photographic paper
• Medium: (b) wood , glass and cardboard
• Dimensions: H x W x D (frame): 19 5/8 × 16 15/16 × 1 in. (49.8 × 43 × 2.5 cm)
• Place captured: Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Government
• Topic: Men
• Topic: Military
• Topic: Photography
• Topic: Politics
• Topic: U.S. History, 1969-2001
• Object number: A2022.101.1.7ab
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Alma J. Powell
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The displayed image also has an explicit CC0 designation. The underlying object's rights statement is: Public Domain Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.