Marion Shepilov Barry, Jr. was born on March 6, 1936, in the small town of Itta Bena, Mississippi. Barry was raised within a family of modest means, in a place where poverty was commonplace. When Barry was young, his father died, and his mother moved the family to Memphis, Tennessee, where she married a local butcher. Despite the financial and personal struggles of his early years, through hard work and dedication Barry was able to earn an undergraduate degree in chemistry from LeMoyne College in Memphis, Tennessee. He also earned a graduate degree in chemistry from Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee, and worked toward a doctoral degree at the University of Tennessee. His academic career was marked by his strong role as a student activist committed to fighting racial discrimination and putting an to racial segregation. Upon completion of his studies, Barry quickly became involved in working within the community...