Lester Holt is a name synonymous with integrity, calm authority, and journalistic excellence. Known as the face of NBC Nightly News and Dateline NBC, Holt has had a long and decorated career in broadcast journalism.

But beyond the news desk, his story is rich with cultural heritage, perseverance, and a deep dedication to his craft. Let’s take a deep dive into the inspiring early life, education, and career of Lester Holt.

Early Life and Cultural Heritage

Born on March 8, 1959, on Hamilton Air Force Base in Marin County, California, Lester Don Holt Jr. was the youngest of four children to June (née DeRozario) and Lester Don Holt Sr. His diverse background reflects the fabric of multicultural America:

His maternal grandparents were Jamaican-born: His grandfather Canute DeRozario was of Anglo-Indian descent from Spanish Town, with roots tracing back to Calcutta, India, and England. His grandmother May was Afro-Jamaican, born in Manchester Parish, Jamaica, and raised in Harlem, New York.

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Holt’s father was African American, hailing from Michigan, with family ties to Tennessee.

During the Vietnam War, his father was stationed at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska, where Holt was introduced to broadcasting through his older brother, who worked as a disc jockey.

Education and Entry into Broadcasting

Lester Holt graduated from Cordova High School in Rancho Cordova, California, in 1977. He attended California State University, Sacramento, majoring in government, though he did not complete his degree. Instead, Holt found his calling early in life.

“My first on-air job was actually as a disc jockey at a Country and Western station,” he told American Profile. “The only time I could land a full-time gig was if I was willing to report the news.”

He would continue working in radio throughout college and later receive multiple honorary degrees, including:

An honorary bachelor’s degree from CSU Sacramento in 2015.

Doctorates in Humane Letters from Rutgers University (2020) and Villanova University (2023).

A Distinguished Career in Journalism

CBS News: The Formative Years

Holt spent 19 years with CBS News, taking on roles as a reporter, anchor, and international correspondent. His reporting took him around the world — from Iraq and Somalia to El Salvador and Haiti.

1981: Reporter at WCBS-TV in New York City.

1982–1983: Weekend anchor at KNXT (now KCBS-TV) in Los Angeles.

1986–2000: Evening anchor at WBBM-TV in Chicago.

Rise at MSNBC and NBC News

Holt joined MSNBC in 2000, and in 2003, he took on full-time duties with NBC News, eventually becoming:

Co-anchor of Weekend Today after the passing of David Bloom.

Weekend anchor for NBC Nightly News beginning in 2007.

Permanent anchor of NBC Nightly News in 2015, following the suspension of Brian Williams.

Holt also currently hosts Dateline NBC, and has led coverage for some of the most pivotal moments in modern history.

Notable Career Highlights

Presidential Debates: Holt moderated the first 2016 presidential debate, and co-moderated the third GOP debate in 2023, viewed by 7.5 million people.

Major Interviews: In 2017, he interviewed President Donald Trump about the firing of FBI Director James Comey, gaining national attention.

COVID-19 Coverage: In 2020, Holt was praised for his steady reporting during the pandemic, often ending broadcasts with reflective monologues.

Capitol Riot Response: After the January 6 Capitol Attack, Holt spoke out strongly against political disinformation.

Global Reporting: Holt covered Queen Elizabeth II’s death in 2022, the 2023 Hamas-Israel war, and conducted a rare interview with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.

All About Lester Holt’s Wife and His Beautiful Family

Who is Lester Holt’s wife Carol Hagen?

Holt and Hagen met when they were both 21 (she was a flight attendant at the time) and wed two years later in 1982 in San Francisco.

Due to Holt’s career in broadcasting, the couple often moved around the country, and Holt has always given Hagen credit for understanding the needs of the job. In 2015, he told Extra, “She understands that when the bell rings, I like to answer it, when the big story’s going on, I want to be there … I love her to death, she has been so wonderful, she knows this job is going to bring a lot of late-night phone calls, but she’s there for me and that means an awful lot.”

The pair now live in Manhattan with their labradoodle, Lucy.

Lester Holt and Carol Hagen have two sons

The couple welcomed their two sons, Stefan and Cameron, in 1987 and 1990, respectively. After graduating from Stanford University, Cameron went into finance, and currently works at Morgan Stanley, according to People. Stefan decided to follow in his father’s footsteps, and is now a co-anchor at the local NBC station in Chicago.

Stefan told Fete Lifestyle Magazine, that he was always around his dad’s work as a kid. “We moved to New York when I was 13, and throughout high school I would wake up early on Saturday mornings to hang out with Dad at 30 Rock when he anchored Weekend TODAY,” Stefan said. “In fact, my dad gave me one of my first driving lessons in the parking lot at MSNBC.”

Both boys and Carol appeared on TODAY when Holt was promoted to congratulate him on his success.

Lester Holt is “granddude” to three grandkids

Stefan and his wife Morgan have three sons: Henry, Samuel, and James. The boys call Holt “granddude,” a moniker he explained on The Kelly Clarkson Show.

“When my daughter-in-law was pregnant with her first baby … she said, ‘Well, what do you guys want to be called?’” he said. “I said, ‘I think I want to be ‘Granddude’ because ‘grand,’ it bows to the fact that I’m older. But ‘dude’ says, ‘I still got a little bit. I still got a little,’ you know?”

In 2021, Holt excitedly shared the moment Samuel was able to recognize and label his grandparent from a broadcast, pointing at “granddude” on the screen. So sweet.