Carter was the seventh of nine children born to Carrie P. and Walter Carter Sr. in Monroe, North Carolina. He received his bachelor's degree from North Carolina A&T, where he participated in voter registration, the debate team, and became a member of the Progressive Party. He was well liked by his classmates and admired for his keen intellect and unusual sense of humor. Carter obtained a Master's Degree in Social Work (MSW) at Howard University. While studying at Howard, he met young Stokely Carmichael and the two became friends.
