In this first of seven interviews given by Loy Witherspoon and conducted by Christina Wright, Dr. Witherspoon describes his family history, early life, and education. Topics include how he became an orphan and his positive experience living in The Children's Home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina; his college and graduate education at Duke University; friends, mentors, and benefactors, in particular, Virginia and Ross Puette of Charlotte, North Carolina; his experiences living in Egypt where he taught at the American University in Cairo; and his training and background as both a Methodist minister and an educator in religious studies and philosophy.