Lawrence Tom Morgan was born and raised in Pinedale, New Mexico within five miles (8 km) of two uranium mines.

Uranium in New Mexico is almost all in the Grants mineral belt, along the south margin of the San Juan Basin in McKinley and Cibola counties, in the northwest part of the state.

Stretching northwest to southeast, the mineral belt contains the Chuska, Gallup, Ambrosia Lake, and the Laguna uranium mining districts.

After graduating from Fort Wingate High School in 1972, Morgan spent some time at University of New Mexico in Gallup, N.M., studying photography.

Morgan has been involved with several controversial deals, including highly suspect engagements with Texas billionaire Red "BJ" McCombs and longhorn cattle.

McCombs, known for his bankrolling of a young former US president George W. Bush and former bug-killer/ congressman Tom Delay, attempted to use surrogates to acquire 50,000 acres (200 km2) of land surrounding Navajo Canyon on Lake Powell for use by wealthy non-Navajos.

The move, according to the Navajo Times, was not popular but fought by local Dine' residents who cherish culture over money.

[1] Speaker Morgan's legislative priorities include enhancing the Local Governance Certification process and water issues.