Editing Lester Holt (section)

==Early life and education==
Holt was born on March 8, 1959, on [[Hamilton Air Force Base]], [[Marin County]], California, the youngest child of four of June (née DeRozario) and Lester Don Holt<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Lester_Holt.aspx |title=Lester Holt Facts, information, pictures &#124; Encyclopedia.com articles about Lester Holt |publisher=Encyclopedia.com |access-date=May 13, 2015 |archive-date=May 15, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150515165903/http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Lester_Holt.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nbcuniversalarchives.com/nbcuni/clip/5119072604_s27.do |title=Me...And My Mom: In Honor... Stock Footage & Video Clips |publisher=NBCUniversal Archives |access-date=May 13, 2015 |archive-date=August 5, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160805061926/http://www.nbcuniversalarchives.com/nbcuni/clip/5119072604_s27.do |url-status=live }}</ref> His maternal grandparents were born in Jamaica. Holt's maternal grandfather Canute DeRozario was of [[Anglo-Indian]] descent from [[Spanish Town]], and was one of 14 children born to an [[Indo-Jamaican|Indian]] father from [[Calcutta]], and an English-born [[White Jamaican]] mother.<ref name=TodayShowRoots>[https://www.today.com/video/lester-and-jenna-trace-their-jamaican-roots-44495427630 Today Show: "Lester and Jenna trace their Jamaican roots"] Aired on September 9, 2012 {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120913233331/http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/48959400#48959400 |date=September 13, 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://allday.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/05/11/189148.aspx |title=To Jamaica with Mom |last=Holt |first=Lester |date=May 11, 2007 |work=allDAY |publisher=NBC News |access-date=March 25, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090210170155/http://allday.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/05/11/189148.aspx |archive-date=February 10, 2009}}</ref> His maternal grandmother, May, was an [[Afro-Jamaican]] born in [[Manchester Parish]], Jamaica but raised in [[Harlem, New York]], where his mother was born. His father was [[African American]] from [[Michigan]], with [[African Americans in Tennessee|roots]] in [[Tennessee]].

His father was stationed at [[Elmendorf Air Force Base]] in Alaska for four years during the [[Vietnam War]]. Holt was introduced to broadcasting by his older brother, a [[disc jockey]] at a local radio station in [[Anchorage, Alaska]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Bieri |first=Chris |date=July 22, 2023 |title='NBC Nightly News' will broadcast live from Anchorage on Monday |url=https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/anchorage/2023/07/22/nbc-nightly-news-will-broadcast-live-from-anchorage-on-monday/ |work=[[Anchorage Daily News]] |accessdate=July 23, 2023}}</ref>

He graduated from [[Cordova High School (Rancho Cordova, California)|Cordova High School]] in [[Rancho Cordova, California|Rancho Cordova]] in 1977<ref>[http://www.cordovaalumni.com/news/lester.html "It's back to school for 'Today' host"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211017230609/http://www.cordovaalumni.com/news/lester.html |date=October 17, 2021 }}, May 2004.</ref> and majored in government at [[California State University, Sacramento]], though he never graduated,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article9726503.html |title=Cordova High's Lester Holt fills in for NBC anchor Brian Williams during suspension |date=February 11, 2015 |first=Bill |last=Lindelof |work=[[The Sacramento Bee]] |access-date=February 11, 2015 |archive-date=February 11, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150211194305/http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article9726503.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Bio">{{cite web |url=http://www.today.com/about/lester-holt-co-anchor-todays-weekend-editions-6C10109542 |title=Lester Holt |work=NBC News |access-date=March 25, 2009 |archive-date=May 18, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518093122/http://www.today.com/about/lester-holt-co-anchor-todays-weekend-editions-6C10109542 |url-status=live }}</ref> receiving an [[honorary degree]] in 2015.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lester Holt {{!}} CSU |url=https://www.calstate.edu/impact-of-the-csu/alumni/Honorary-Degrees/Pages/lester-holt.aspx |access-date=2023-05-20 |website=www.calstate.edu |language=en-US |archive-date=May 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230520023451/https://www.calstate.edu/impact-of-the-csu/alumni/Honorary-Degrees/Pages/lester-holt.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref> He has also received honorary [[Doctor of Humane Letters|Doctorates in Humane Letters]] from both [[Rutgers University]] in 2020<ref>{{Cite web |title=Award-Winning Journalist Lester Holt Named Rutgers University's Commencement Speaker |url=https://www.rutgers.edu/news/award-winning-journalist-lester-holt-named-rutgers-universitys-commencement-speaker |access-date=2023-05-20 |website=www.rutgers.edu |language=en |archive-date=May 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230520023451/https://www.rutgers.edu/news/award-winning-journalist-lester-holt-named-rutgers-universitys-commencement-speaker |url-status=live }}</ref> and [[Villanova University]] in 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Award-Winning Journalist and NBC News Anchor Lester Holt to Deliver Villanova University's 2023 Commencement Address {{!}} Villanova University |url=https://www1.villanova.edu/university/media/press-releases/2023/2023-commencement-speaker.html |access-date=2023-05-20 |website=www1.villanova.edu |archive-date=May 28, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230528204412/https://www1.villanova.edu/university/media/press-releases/2023/2023-commencement-speaker.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2012, Holt told ''American Profile'' news magazine: "My first on-air job was actually as a disc jockey at a Country and Western station. The only time I could land a full-time gig was if I was willing to report the news." Holt would keep the job with the radio station through his college years.<ref>"Ask American Profile", ''American Profile'' magazine, February 5, 2012.</ref>