L. David Minsk was born in Evanston, Illinois on August 28, 1924, the son of Louis David Minsk and Helen Tavenner. Minsk attended Evanston Township High School between 1938 and 1942 and then enrolled in the Technological Institute at Northwestern University. He interrupted his collegiate studies for service in the U.S. Army Air force during world War II. Minsk was assigned to photographic and phototopographic work for the Army Air force. He returned to Northwestern in 1945 and in 1947 transferred to the University's College of Liberal Arts. Northwestern awarded Minsk a B.S. degree in Chemistry in 1949. At Northwestern Minsk was a member of Phi Mu Delta fraternity, an editor of Northwestern Engineer, and took a letter in fencing. During high school and college Minsk pursued an interest in photography and took many photographs of Northwestern's University Theatre and Children's Theatre productions.
From the guide to the L. David Minsk (1924- ) Photographs, ca. 1939-1942, (Northwestern University Archives)
