Powell Reaches out to Global Youth on MTV

Excerpt from Interview of Secretary of State Colin L. Powell on "Be Heard: An MTV Global Discussion with Colin Powell"

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell discussed a range of international issues February 14 with a television studio audience of young people -- about 75 in Washington and 190 others in studios in six other cities around the world -- for a program produced by MTV, the cable music channel.

The non-U.S. participants assembled by MTV joined the program via satellite from Cairo, London, Milan, Moscow, New Delhi, and Sao Paulo. The tape of the program -- "Be Heard: An MTV Global Discussion with Colin Powell" - premiered later the same day on MTV's U.S. affiliates and ran on international affiliates over the next several weeks. MTV said in a press release that the potential audience for the program is 375 million.

The young people devised their own questions for Powell who heard them for the first time as the program was under way. The program participants sought the Secretary of State's views on an array of subjects.

While most of the interview focused on the world, the last question focused on the Secretary.

QUESTION: Hello. I'm Natalie Koffield. I'm a student at Howard University. And in the New Yorker and in the New York Times Magazine, you were quoted as saying, "I ain't that black." Could you explain the statement?

And also, what would you say to those people who look to you as a global and influential black leader?

SECRETARY POWELL: Well, I said it that way because people say, well, how will you be able to be successful in my military career and in the other things I've done in life. And I said that I grew up in a very diverse environment, and because I am not that black as a physical matter -- I am as black as anybody whose skin could be 20 shades darker than mine -- I consider myself an African American, a black man, proud of it and proud to stand on the shoulders of those who went before me. But I know that because of my background and my upbringing, I'm probably more acceptable over the years to the white power structure that I was dealing with as I came up.

Because, you see, Jim Crow and discrimination is not history to me; it's my life. I was raised in the pre-civil rights period. I've been thrown out of places because I was just black enough not to be served. So I have no illusions about who I am or what I am. But as I go about my job, what I say to people is I'm the American Secretary of State; I'm also black. I don't say I'm the black American Secretary of State, because it implies, gee, is there a white one somewhere, you know? (Laughter.) No, I am the Secretary of State. You take me as you see me, a proud American representing his country, and by the way, I'm awfully proud to be black. And I want, as a black person, to be an example and an inspiration to not just other black youngsters coming along, but to all youngsters who may think that because of their background or where they came from or their origins, somehow they can't achieve their dream. In our society you can. And I'm an example of it, out of the South Bronx, immigrant parents; you know the story. And I was able to achieve because there were people who were willing to accept me for what I was, treat me right, and allow me to demonstrate my ability. And these were white people, black people. These were people superior to me, people who worked for me, who trusted me. And that's the message I've always tried to convey to young people.

MR. NORRIS: Mr. Secretary, when we planned this show, we always knew we'd have way more questions than we had time for, and in fact, we are fresh out of time. But thanks to all of you guys here in DC, all around the world. Great questions. All of our MTV International correspondents. And, of course, the Secretary of State, Colin Powell, thanks so much. This has been tremendous.