I am the grandson of sharecroppers who were born in the state of Mississippi in the nineteenth century (1890s).  My parents migrated to St. Louis, MO were I was born.  Growing up as a World War II baby boomer, I never  dreamed of becoming a teacher, but rather a famous politician or prominent lawyer.  I grew up in an era when colors TVs were vogue, LP records were the standard and eight-track players were the bomb, anything made in Japan was a piece of junk, and Chuck Taylor All-Star Sneakers were a status symbol of being cool and hip.

Even though I was neither hip nor cool, I still realize that I needed an education to leave the hood.  I attended Truman State University and I managed to do quite well in college.  I received a Bachelors degree in Political Science with a minor in History.  I later received my Masters Degree from Webster University Human Relations and Business Management .  Because of these achievements, I quickly became a family trailblazer; I was the first to graduate from high school and college.  Although, my younger sister beat me to graduate school and became a lawyer and my younger brother became a University Dean;  I was still the Columbus, Marco Polo, and the Lewis & Clark of the family.    

I joined the United States Army right after graduating from college and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in Air Defense Artillery and served on active duty until I achieved the rank of Major.