powell would eventually grow up to command, the most powerful military force in the history of the world. collin powell was 10 years old when he saw a black man play major league baseball for the first time. that happened in his hometown of new york city when jackie robinson was allowed to join the brooklyn dodgers in 1947. collin powell went to new york city public schools for elementary school, high school, and college. he graduated from city college of new york where he joined the army rotc and began his army career immediately after college in 1958. he did his first tour of duty in vietnam in 1962 and 1963 when most americans did not know that there was a place called vietnam and that there was an american military presence in vietnam. he went back to vietnam in 1968 at the peak of the combat and at the peak of the death count in