Christian was an avid reader and questioned why there were no African-American or Afro-Caribbean women included in her education or the stories she read. At the age of fifteen, Christian moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to attend Marquette University, graduating in 1963 cum laude.
Christian's passion for reading sparked her curiosity about the absence of diverse female voices in her educational and literary pursuits. She made the decision to move to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, at fifteen to attend Marquette University, which she ultimately completed in 1963 with academic distinction.