On December 2, 1939, Harry Mason Reid Jr. was born in Searchlight, Nevada, to Harry Reid, a rock miner, and Inez Orena (Jaynes), a local brothel laundress.

When Harry Jr. was 32 years old, his father committed suicide at 58.

Harry’s paternal grandmother came from Darlaston, Staffordshire, England. Harry grew up in a shack with no indoor toilet, running water, or phone.

Harry boarded with his family 40 miles (64 km) away in Henderson to attend Basic High School, where Harry played football and was an amateur boxer because Searchlight didn’t have a high school.

Harry met future Nevada governor Mike O’Callaghan, a teacher at Basic High and Reid’s boxing instructor, while he was there.

Harry studied political science and history at Southern Utah University and Utah State University, where he received his bachelor’s degree in 1961.

At Utah State University’s School of Commerce and Business Administration, he minored in economics.

While working as a police officer for the United States Capitol Police, Harry attended George Washington University Law School and received Juris Doctor in 1964.