Editing Newt Gingrich (section)

== Early life ==
{{Newt Gingrich series}}
[[File:Newt Gingrich as a young professor in history.jpg|thumb|200px|Gingrich as a history professor, {{circa}} 1970|left]]
Gingrich was born as Newton Leroy McPherson at the [[Harrisburg Hospital]] in [[Harrisburg, Pennsylvania]], on June 17, 1943. His mother, Kathleen "Kit" (née Daugherty; 1925–2003), and biological father, Newton Searles McPherson (1923–1970),<ref>{{cite web |url=http://2012.republican-candidates.org/Gingrich/Parents-Grandparents.php |title=Newt Gingrich Parents and Grandparents |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624161157/http://2012.republican-candidates.org/Gingrich/Parents-Grandparents.php |archive-date=June 24, 2016 |work=1989.Republican-Candidates.org |access-date=March 12, 2012}}</ref> married in September 1942, when she was 16 and McPherson was 19. The marriage fell apart within days.<ref>{{cite news |last=Rourke |first=Mary |title=Kathleen Gingrich, 77; Mother of House Speaker Made News |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=September 25, 2003 |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-sep-25-me-gingrich25-story.html |access-date=May 15, 2011 |archive-date=March 9, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120309202930/http://articles.latimes.com/2003/sep/25/local/me-gingrich25 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/newt/newtchron.html |date=January 16, 1996 |title=The Long March of Newt Gingrich |publisher=[[PBS]] |work=[[Frontline (U.S. TV series)|Frontline]] |access-date=March 14, 2007 |archive-date=March 12, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070312001802/http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/newt/newtchron.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=G000225 |year=2007 |title=Biography of Newton Gingrich |work=[[Biographical Directory of the United States Congress]] |access-date=January 18, 2007 |archive-date=June 28, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628222423/http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=G000225 |url-status=live }}</ref> He is of [[English Americans|English]], [[German Americans|German]], [[Scottish Americans|Scottish]] and [[Scotch-Irish Americans|Scots-Irish]] descent.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CC&s_site=contracostatimes&p_multi=CC&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=1063FE5399CE953B&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |title=Immigration Divides Republican Opinion |work=Contra Costa Times |date=November 24, 1997 |access-date=June 18, 2011 |archive-date=March 14, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314154704/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CC&s_site=contracostatimes&p_multi=CC&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=1063FE5399CE953B&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Boeri|first=David|title=Newt Gingrich Arrives In N.H., In Search Of Elephants|date=March 18, 2011|publisher=[[WBUR-FM]]|url=https://www.wbur.org/news/2011/03/18/gingrich-nh|access-date=June 28, 2020|archive-date=June 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200630094547/https://www.wbur.org/news/2011/03/18/gingrich-nh|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1946, his mother married Robert Gingrich (1925–1996), who adopted him.<ref name="stepfather obit">{{Cite news |title=Robert Gingrich; Retired Army Officer, Father of House Speaker |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=November 21, 1996 |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-11-21-mn-1442-story.html |access-date=May 15, 2011 |archive-date=March 10, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120310130721/http://articles.latimes.com/1996-11-21/news/mn-1442_1_robert-gingrich |url-status=live }}</ref> Robert Gingrich was a career Army officer who served tours in Korea and Vietnam. In 1956, the family moved to Europe, living for a period in [[Orléans]], France and [[Stuttgart]], Germany.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web |url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/newt/newtchron.html |title=A Newt Chronology |publisher=PBS.org |access-date=May 27, 2012 |archive-date=June 7, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120607030130/http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/newt/newtchron.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

From his mother, Gingrich has three younger half-siblings, [[Candace Gingrich|Candace]] Gingrich, Susan Gingrich, and Roberta Brown.<ref name="stepfather obit" /> Gingrich was raised in [[Hummelstown, Pennsylvania|Hummelstown]] (near Harrisburg) and on military bases where his adoptive father was stationed. The family's religion was [[Lutheran]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/g/newt_gingrich/index.html |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |first=Jeff |last=Zeleny |title=Newt Gingrich – Election 2012 |access-date=June 18, 2011 |archive-date=July 10, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710230631/http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/g/newt_gingrich/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> He also has a half-sister and half-brother, Randy McPherson, from his biological father's side. In 1960 during his junior year in high school, the family moved to Georgia at [[Fort Moore]].<ref name="autogenerated1" />

In 1961, Gingrich graduated from [[Baker High School (Columbus, Georgia)|Baker High School]] in [[Columbus, Georgia]], where he met, and later married, his math teacher. He had been interested in politics since his teen years. While living with his family in [[Orléans]], France, he visited the site of the [[Battle of Verdun]] and learned about the sacrifices made there and the importance of political leadership.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Gingrich |first1=Newt |last2=Gingrich Cushman |first2=Jackie |title=5 Principles for a Successful Life: From Our Family to Yours |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZmYJL2KJqkYC&pg=PA3 |access-date=February 28, 2011 |publisher=Crown Publishing Group |isbn=978-0-307-46232-9 |pages=2–3 |date=May 12, 2009 |archive-date=August 6, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806171322/https://books.google.com/books?id=ZmYJL2KJqkYC&pg=PA3 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Gingrich received a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from [[Emory University]] in [[Atlanta]] in 1965. He went on to graduate study at [[Tulane University]], earning an [[Master of Arts|M.A.]] (1968) and a PhD in [[History of Europe|European history]] (1971).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.answers.com/topic/newt-gingrich|title=Newt Gingrich|publisher=Answers.com|access-date=May 12, 2011|archive-date=May 10, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110510031116/http://www.answers.com/topic/newt-gingrich|url-status=live}}</ref> He spent six months in [[Brussels]] in 1969–1970 working on his dissertation, ''Belgian Education Policy in the Congo 1945–1960.''<ref>{{cite news |last=Norman |first=Laurence |url=https://blogs.wsj.com/brussels/2012/01/18/newt-gingrichs-brussels-digs |title=Newt Gingrich's Brussels Digs |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |date=October 18, 2011 |access-date=January 21, 2012 |archive-date=January 20, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120120213512/http://blogs.wsj.com/brussels/2012/01/18/newt-gingrichs-brussels-digs/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="thesis-gingrich-1971">{{cite thesis |title=Belgian Education Policy In The Congo, 1945-1960 |date=1971 |institution=Tulane University |degree=Ph.D. |last=Gingrich |first=Newton Leroy |id={{ProQuest|302627314}} |oclc=319989994}}</ref>

Gingrich received [[Selective Service System|deferments]] from the military during the years of the [[Vietnam War]] for being a student and a father. In 1985, he stated, "Given everything I believe in, a large part of me thinks I should have gone over."<ref>{{cite magazine |magazine=[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]] |title=Good Newt, Bad Newt |last=Boyer |first=Peter J. |date=July 1989 |url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/newt/boyernewt1.html |access-date=September 6, 2017 |archive-date=September 17, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170917091055/http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/newt/boyernewt1.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 1970, Gingrich joined the history department at [[University of West Georgia|West Georgia College]],<ref>{{Cite news |title=The Man Behind the Gavel |url=https://www.csmonitor.com/1994/1206/06012.html |access-date=2025-05-03 |work=Christian Science Monitor |issn=0882-7729}}</ref> where he spent "little time teaching history."<ref name=":11" /> He coordinated a new [[environmental studies]] program and was moved from the history to the [[geography]] department by 1976.<ref name=":11" /> During his time in the college, he took unpaid leave three times to run for the [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. House of Representatives]], losing twice before leaving the college. Serving professors were not allowed under the rules of the university system to run for office. He left the college in 1977 after being denied tenure.<ref name=":11">{{cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970203735304577167041714568630 |newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|first=Elizabeth |last=Williamson |title=Gingrich's college records show a professor hatching big plans |date=January 18, 2012 |access-date=August 8, 2017 |archive-date=June 30, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170630185304/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970203735304577167041714568630 |url-status=live }}</ref>