Who is Bill Clinton? Bill Clinton, (birth sir name William Jefferson Blythe the III) was born August 19, 1946, in Hope, Arkansas just after WWII. This is where he spent his first six years growing up. Clinton’s father was killed in a car accident three months before he was born. After being born he and his mother moved in with his grandmother, Edith Cassidy. While his mother was away a lot of the time at nursing school in New Orleans, Clinton was raised by his grandmother. In 1950 his mother, Virginia Cassidy Blythe, married Roger Clinton. Sometime after marrying Roger Clinton, the family moved to Hot Springs, Arkansas. Roger Clinton had an alcohol problem and would often abuse Clinton’s mother. After ten years of marriage she divorced Roger Clinton only to remarry him. During this time was when he, at the age of 15, decided to have his legal name changed from William Jefferson Blyth the III to William Jefferson Clinton.
High school principal Johnnie Mae Mackey talked Clinton into going to Washington DC as one of Arkansas delegates to Boy’s Nation, which is an imitation political convention sponsored by American Legion. In school Clinton excelled at everything he tried. In high school he joined the band and played saxophone. Clinton especially liked gospel music from his Baptist church. When his mother would go to the races on Sunday mornings, Clinton would go to church. In his small town he was well known for his ambition and talent.
In 1964, Clinton left Arkansas to attend Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. Clinton was able to support himself through scholarships and working part-time jobs. His major was international affairs. During his freshmen and sophomore years at college he won presidency of the student council. He ran again his junior year only to lose to a lesser know candidate. In 1970 Clinton enter Yale Law School where he earned his degree in 1973. 1973 was a good year for Clinton as it was when he met his soon to be wife, Hillary Rodham, who he married in 1975.
