10 Facts About Steve Rogers Before He Became Captain America

Captain America is an Avenger like no other in that he’s a man out of his time. He was born and raised in the 1920s and fought in World War II before being cryogenically frozen. Decades later, he was discovered and thawed out in a world he didn’t recognize anymore.

Still, despite being out of touch with modern times, Steve Rogers has managed to be quite successful, becoming a worldwide icon and leading the Avengers in and out of various battles to save Earth. But he wasn’t always Captain America. Here are 10 Facts About Steve Rogers Before He Became Captain America.

He was literally born on the fourth of July

Steve Rogers joins Ron Kovic as another U.S. war veteran who was born on the fourth of July. His Army enlistment document mentions his date of birth as July 4, 1918 (although in the comics, it’s July 4, 1920). So, when he was frozen in ice in 1945, he was 26 years old.

When he was discovered and thawed out in 2011, 66 years later, he was technically 93 years old. Of course, he doesn’t look 93 years old, due to the nature of cryogenic freezing. His new Nomad beard has aged him a bit, but certainly not that much.

He was a fine arts student

Chris Evans flying a plane in Captain America The First Avenger

Before becoming a soldier, Steve Rogers was studying fine arts, focusing on writing and illustrating comic books. It makes sense that a comic book writer would make their superpowered character a student of writing comic books in his backstory, because they say you should write what you know.

That’s what Jack Kirby and Joe Simon knew. So, while all the superhero stuff was made-up escapism, the past life of Captain America would feel real. It’s hard to imagine Steve Rogers sitting down at a desk and drawing a comic book now, but you have to remember that this was back when he was small and scrawny.

He has always used shields in combat

In the years before he became Captain America and gained his iconic vibranium shield, we saw Steve Rogers use three things as a shield in combat situations. He used the lid of a garbage can as a shield while he was fighting a bully, he used a cab door as a shield while Heinz Kruger was shooting at him, and he used a medieval-style triangular shield during his first mission.

So, long before he was given the most powerful shield in the world, he was using shields to defend himself wherever he could find them. It was a no-brainer to give this guy a shield.

He went to George Washington High School

Between 1932 and 1936, Steve Rogers attended George Washington High School in New York City, which was founded in 1919 and is today known as the George Washington Educational Campus. The school’s notable alumni include Henry Kissinger and Alan Greenspan. Murray Jarvik, the guy who invented the nicotine patch, and baseball players Rod Carew and Manny Ramirez also went there.

Interestingly, the school was also attended by Gene Colan, a Comic Book Hall of Famer who has worked for both DC and Marvel. After graduating from George Washington High School, Steve went on to study art at Auburndale Art School.

His father died in the Army

Skinny Steve Rogers Wearing His Army Uniform And Helmet In Captain America: The First Avenger

Steve Rogers’ father Joe lost his life during a mustard gas attack while he was serving in the Army. This explains Steve’s patriotism and determination to serve his country in World War II. Steve dropped everything as soon as Adolf Hitler rose to power and started desperately trying to enlist in the military.

He simply wants to do his father proud by living up to his legacy and fighting for his country. Exactly how Joe lost his life is unclear after decades’ worth of comic book storylines, but as far as the MCU’s version of events goes, it was a mustard gas attack.

His mother Sarah died of tuberculosis

Steve lost his mother to tuberculosis when he was a teenager. She had been working as a nurse – at a time when medicine was pretty primitive and a lot of cures and vaccines were still being developed – when she lost her battle with the disease.

Since Steve grew up without a father and was raised by his mother before being orphaned at a young age, it could be argued that Sarah gave Steve a respect for women that he carries with him to this day. His relationship with her was an early template for his friendly, respectful, trusting relationship with Natasha Romanoff.

His parents were Irish immigrants

Chris Evans as Steve Rogers in Avengers Endgame

Steve Rogers’ parents, Joe and Sarah Rogers, were Irish immigrants who moved to America in the early 20th century. Steve was born in Brooklyn in 1918 (1920 in the comics), a few years after they’d made the move from Ireland and settled into life in New York.

So, the man who would eventually go on to adopt the mantle “Captain America” – and, as a result, become a symbol of patriotism and the American spirit – was actually the child of two immigrants. Whether this was meant as a political statement or it’s just become one in the years since is unclear, but it is interesting.

He was bullied in Hell’s Kitchen

After losing both his parents, little orphan Steve had to look out for himself and he was often picked on and beaten up in brutal fashion by bullies in Hell’s Kitchen, the New York neighborhood where a lot of Marvel’s darker, grittier, more street-level stories are set.

Unfortunately for Steve, this was about eighty years before Daredevil and the rest of the Defenders would be around to protect him. He showed those bullies in the end. Now, he’s a global celebrity and beloved hero who routinely saves Earth from the biggest baddest bullies in the galaxy. So, who’s laughing now?

Bucky Barnes protected Steve from the bullies

When Steve had lost both of his parents and he was just a scrawny kid getting beaten up by bullies, big, buff Bucky Barnes stood up for him and protected him from the bullies. Steve’s resilience in the face of incredible odds made Bucky respect him, and they became best friends.

Bucky’s protection of Steve is what made Steve refuse to give up on Bucky after he was brainwashed into becoming the Winter Soldier. Bucky was there for Steve, and now, Steve needed to be there for Bucky. Despite an intense scuffle with Iron Man, it worked out pretty well.

Steve and Bucky got up to some wild adventures

As kids, Steve and Bucky used to go all over the place. They often went into the city and spent all their money. One time, after Bucky spent $3 (which is now worth like $50) trying to impress a girl at the fairground and the two guys spent the rest of their money on hot dogs, so they had to hitch a ride in a freezer truck back to Brooklyn.

When Bucky persuaded Steve to ride the Cyclone roller coaster at Coney Island, he ended up vomiting. Those guys got into some pretty wild adventures as a couple of kids hanging about New York.