Lester Holt: A Biography of the Award-Winning Journalist and NBC Nightly News Anchor
Lester Holt is one of the most prominent and respected journalists in the United States. He is the anchor of NBC Nightly News, NBC Nightly News Kids Edition, and Dateline NBC, as well as a frequent moderator of presidential debates and special events. He has been honored with multiple awards for his excellence in reporting, including the Edward R. Murrow Award, the Walter Cronkite Award, and the Emmy Award. He is also the first African American to solo anchor a weekday network nightly newscast.
In this article, we will explore the life and career of Lester Holt, from his early days in California to his rise to fame and success in the media industry. We will also learn about his personal life, his family, his hobbies, and some interesting trivia about him.
Early Life, Family & Qualifications
Lester Don Holt Jr. was born on March 8, 1959, on Hamilton Air Force Base, Marin County, California. He is the youngest of four children of Lester Don Holt Sr. and June Holt. His father was an air force technician who served in Vietnam, and his mother was a homemaker. His parents divorced when he was young, and he grew up with his mother and stepfather in Sacramento, California.
Holt has a diverse ancestry, as his maternal grandparents were born in Jamaica. His maternal grandfather, Canute DeRozario, was a Jamaican Anglo-Indian from Spanish Town, and his maternal grandmother, May, was an Afro-Jamaican from Manchester Parish. His paternal grandparents were African Americans from Michigan and Tennessee.
Lester Holt developed an interest in broadcasting at an early age, inspired by his older brother, Mike Swanigan, who was a disc jockey at a local radio station in Anchorage, Alaska. Holt also played the bass guitar and sang in a band called “Contraband” in high school. He graduated from Cordova High School in Rancho Cordova in 1977, where he was a news anchor and editor for the school’s radio station.
Holt enrolled at California State University, Sacramento, where he majored in government. However, he dropped out of college in 1980 to pursue a career in journalism. He received an honorary degree from the university in 2015, as well as honorary doctorates from Rutgers University in 2020 and Villanova University in 2023.
Bio / Wiki
| Name | Lester Don Holt Jr. |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | March 8, 1959 |
| Place of Birth | Hamilton Air Force Base, Marin County, California |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | African American, Jamaican, Anglo-Indian |
| Education | Cordova High School, California State University, Sacramento (dropped out) |
| Occupation | Journalist, News Anchor, Moderator |
| Employer | NBC News |
| Current Shows | NBC Nightly News, NBC Nightly News Kids Edition, Dateline NBC |
| Spouse | Carol Hagen (m. 1982) |
| Children | Stefan Holt, Cameron Holt |
| Residence | Manhattan, New York |
| Net Worth | $35 million (as of 2020) |
| Awards | Edward R. Murrow Award, Walter Cronkite Award, Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Award, George Foster Peabody Award, Emmy Award, Time 100, Hollywood Walk of Fame Star |
| Hobbies | Flying, Playing Bass Guitar, Skiing, Cycling, Gardening |
| Wikipedia | @Lester_Holt |
| Online Pages | Twitter – @LesterHoltNBC Instagram – @lesterholtnbc |
| Factynews Home | Click Here |
Career
Holt began his career as a reporter for WCBS-TV in New York City in 1981. He then moved to Los Angeles, where he worked for KCBS-TV (formerly KNXT) from 1982 to 1986. He covered various stories, including the 1984 Olympics, the 1986 Challenger disaster, and the 1987 Whittier Narrows earthquake.
In 1986, Lester Holt joined WBBM-TV in Chicago, where he spent 14 years as a reporter and anchor. He covered major events, such as the 1989 San Francisco earthquake, the 1992 Los Angeles riots, the 1994 Winter Olympics, and the 1996 Democratic National Convention. He also hosted a weekly public affairs program called “Making the Grade”.
In 2000, Holt moved to NBC News, where he became a correspondent for Dateline NBC and an anchor for MSNBC. He also filled in as a substitute anchor for NBC Nightly News and Today. In 2003, he was named the co-anchor of Weekend Today, alongside Campbell Brown, Amy Robach, and Jenna Wolfe. In 2007, he also became the anchor of NBC Nightly News weekend editions, succeeding John Seigenthaler.
In 2011, Lester was promoted to the sole anchor of Dateline NBC, replacing Ann Curry. He also hosted several special reports and documentaries, such as “Inside the Obama White House”, “Hurricane Sandy: Coming Together”, and “The Inauguration of Barack Obama”.
In 2015, Holt made history when he was appointed as the permanent anchor of NBC Nightly News, following the suspension and demotion of Brian Williams for fabricating stories. Holt became the first African American to solo anchor a weekday network nightly newscast. He also launched NBC Nightly News Kids Edition, a digital newscast for children, in 2020.
Lester Holt has also moderated several presidential debates and town halls, including the first presidential debate of 2016 between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, the second presidential debate of 2020 between Trump and Joe Biden, and the vice presidential debate of 2020 between Mike Pence and Kamala Harris. He has also interviewed several world leaders, such as Barack Obama, Vladimir Putin, Emmanuel Macron, and Justin Trudeau.
Holt has received numerous accolades for his journalism, including the Edward R. Murrow Award, the Walter Cronkite Award, the Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Award, the George Foster Peabody Award, and the Emmy Award. He has also been named as one of the most influential people in the world by Time magazine in 2017, and one of the most trusted TV news anchors in America by a 2018 poll.
Lester Holt Personal Life
Lester Holt has been married to Carol Hagen, a real estate agent, since 1982. They met in Los Angeles, when Holt was working for KCBS-TV and Hagen was a flight attendant. They have two sons, Stefan and Cameron. Stefan is also a journalist and an anchor for NBC 5 Chicago, while Cameron is a financial analyst.
Lester lives in Manhattan, New York, with his wife and their dog, Lucy. He also owns a home in Sacramento, California, where his mother and stepfather live. He is a licensed pilot and an avid fan of aviation. He also enjoys playing the bass guitar, skiing, cycling, and gardening.
Trivia
- Holt is an independent voter, having switched from the Republican Party in 2018.
- He is a member of the California State University, Sacramento Alumni Association Hall of Fame, and the Cordova High School Hall of Fame.
- Lester Holt is a supporter of several charitable causes, such as the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, the USO, and the Greater Chicago Food Depository.
- Holt has appeared as himself in several movies and TV shows, such as The Fugitive, Primal Fear, Warehouse 13, 30 Rock, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
- Lester has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which he received in 2016.
