Flags Lowered in Honor of General Colin Powell

Flags are being lowered in honor of General Colin Powell, the former US secretary of state and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who died this morning.

At the direction of the President of the United States, Governor David Ige has ordered that the United States flag and the Hawai‘i state flag be flown at half-staff at the State Capitol and upon all state offices and agencies as well as the Hawai‘i National Guard in the State of Hawai‘i, immediately–until sunset on Friday, Oct. 22, 2021.

General Colin Powell was born in New York City. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from City College of New York and his MBA from George Washington University. He later rose to the highest ranks of the US military and went on to advise four Presidents.

President Joe Biden issued a proclamation saying:

“General Colin Powell was a patriot of unmatched honor and dignity… He believed in the promise of America because he lived it. And he devoted much of his life to making that promise a reality for so many others. He embodied the highest ideals of both warrior and diplomat. He led with his personal commitment to the democratic values that make our country strong. He repeatedly broke racial barriers, blazing a trail for others to follow, and was committed throughout his life to investing in the next generation of leadership. Colin Powell was a good man who I was proud to call my friend, and he will be remembered in history as one of our great Americans.”