Early Life
Louis was born on May 8, 1936 in Detroit, Michigan, though his family was from Oklahoma and he was raised in Oklahoma City. As a child Louis attended the First Christian Church in Oklahoma City with his parents, Henry Edward Louis and Bena May Flood, "solidly middle class people who set a strong example of the importance of work, thrift, and family.". Louis admits that he is "less religious," but he describes his philosophy in life with the one-liner made famous by Franklin Roosevelt: "I am a Christian and a Democrat. What more does one need in life?"
Louis attended Classen High School, where he especially enjoyed literature and where he thrived as a member of Classen's orchestra, in which he played the French horn. He later became assistant first horn player in the Oklahoma City Symphony. Louis was also involved in swimming at Classen, and in gymnastics and handball at the local YMCA. Louis's involvement with the YMCA gave him his first experience with segregation in Oklahoma, and he traces his commitment to civil rights to that experience. The YMCA also gave Louis his first opportunity to travel to Europe and England.
Read more about this topic: William Roger Louis
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