Born in Jackson, Mississippi, Alsup received a B.S. in mathematics[REF] from Mississippi State University in 1967, a J.D. from Harvard University in 1971, and an M.P.P. from Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government in 1971.
He was a law clerk to Justice William O. Douglas of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1971 to 1972 [REF].