In 1997 Powell founded America 's Promise with the objective of helping children from all socioeconomic sectors . That same year saw the establishment of The Colin L. Powell Center for Leadership and Service . The mission of the Center is to " prepare new generations of publicly engaged leaders from populations previously underrepresented in public service and policy circles , to build a strong culture of civic engagement at City College , and to mobilize campus resources to meet pressing community needs and serve the public good . " Powell was mentioned as a potential candidate in the 2000 U.S. presidential election , but decided against running . Once Texas Governor George W. Bush secured the Republican nomination , Powell endorsed him for president and spoke at the 2000 Republican National Convention . Bush eventually won , and Powell was appointed Secretary of State
2000 Republican National Convention
2000 Republican National Convention
Colin Powell