hiː ɡɹˈuː ˌʌp ɪnðə pɹˈɑːdʒɛkts ɪn dɪtɹˈɔɪt ænd ɡɹˈædjuːˌeɪɾᵻd fɹʌm ɹˈɛdfɚd hˈaɪ skˈuːl, ɐtˈɛndɪŋ kəmjˈuːnᵻɾi kˈɑːlɪdʒ æt nˈaɪt wˌaɪl wˈɜːkɪŋ tə pˌʊt hɪz wˈaɪf θɹuː skˈuːl æt ðə jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi ʌv mˈɪʃɪɡən.
He grew up in the projects in Detroit and graduated from Redford High School, attending community college at night while working to put his wife through school at the University of Michigan.