Brian Williams was born in Elmira on May 5, 1959 and lived at 927 W. Church Street. He attended Hendy Avenue Elementary. Later, Williams moved with his parents to Middletown, New Jersey where he was a volunteer fireman, worked at a pancake restaurant and local Sears store. After high school, Williams attended George Washington University and transferred to Catholic University of America, both schools in Washington, DC.

Upon leaving college without a degree, a decision that he terms "one of my great regrets", Williams began his broadcasting career at KOAM-TV in Pittsburg, Kansas and later moved back to Washington, DC to work at WTTG-TV as general assignment correspondent. After his stint there, Williams was hired at WCBS-TV in New York, NY where he won his first Emmy for his reporting of the stock market collapse.