![Colin Powell on the Declaration of Independence](http://shop.historynet.com/cdn/shop/articles/VIEP-200200-POWELL-01-scaled.jpg?v=1657035331&width=480)
Colin Powell on the Declaration of Independence
On July 4, 1997, Gen. Colin Powell, a Vietnam War Army captain who rose to become chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (and later secretary of state), gave a speech to recently sworn-in U.S. citizens at Monticello, an event held annually at the home of Thomas Jefferson.
Here's the entirety of Powell's speech.