Ben Carson is a former United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development who has been in the news since he endorsed President Donald Trump in his speech in Iowa on Sunday.
He introduced Trump as “my friend, your friend, and a friend of America.” “As I stand here today, I want to offer my most confident and full endorsement of Donald J. Trump,” said Carson.
So, if you are wondering, who is this personality supporting the leading GOP candidate? This article details Ben Carson’s biography, including his early life, education, career, net worth, and more.
So, without further ado, let’s begin.
Ben Carson Wikipedia And Biography
Carson, 72, is a former American neurosurgeon, author and politician who acted as the 17th U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development from 2017 to 2021 during Donald Trump’s administration.
He was also a candidate for the U.S. President in the 2016 Republican primaries. However, he dropped out of the primary race and began endorsing Trump.
Carson is a well-known Black conservative in America who has evolved into the biggest supporter of Trump in recent years.
Ben Carson Early Life
| Birth name | Benjamin Solomon Carson, Sr. |
| Date of birth | September 18, 1951 |
| Place of birth | Detroit, Michigan, United States |
| Parents | Robert Solomon Carson Jr. and Sonya Carson (née Copeland) |
| Siblings | Curtis Carson (brother) |
| Education | Southwestern High School (Detroit, Michigan) Yale University (B.A. in psychology) University of Michigan School of Medicine (M.D.) Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (residency in neurosurgery) |
| Occupation | Neurosurgeon, author, politician |
| Political party | Republicans |
| Notable achievements |
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| Net Worth | $30 Million |
Ben Carson (Benjamin Soloman Carson) was born in Detroit, Michigan, on September 18, 1951. His father, Robert Solomon Carson, was a World War II veteran who served in the U.S. Army and died in 1992. His mother, Sonya Carson, died in 2017.
His parents belonged to large families in rural Georgia. After Robert’s military service ended, they moved from Chattanooga, Tennessee, to Detroit, Michigan.
There, Carson’s father began working in a Cadillac automobile plant. In 1950, his parents bought a new home on Deacon Street in southwest Detroit, where Carson was born. He has an older brother named Curtis.
Carson’s school education started in 1956 at Detroit Public Schools. He was an average student during his school days. In 1959, when he was only eight, his parents separated, and he moved with his mother and brother to live with his mother’s older sister in Boston.
His mother began working as a domestic worker. In Boston, Carson and his brother attended a two-classroom school at the Berea Seventh-day Adventist church.
In 1961, at age 10, he returned to southwest Detroit with his mother and brother. They rented a house on Deacon Street that his mother had been awarded in a divorce settlement and lived in a white neighbourhood.
Carson and his brother were again enrolled in Detroit public schools. Although their academic performance was average initially, they gradually improved in their studies.
Carson attended the white Higgins Elementary School for grades 5-6, the white Wilson Junior High School for the 7th and first half of 8th grade, and the white Hunter Junior High School for the second half of 8th grade.
In 1965, Carson and his family began living in their house on Deacon Street. At 8, Carson dreamt of becoming a missionary doctor. But, at 13, attracted by the luxurious lifestyles of psychiatrists through television, his dream changed.
Ben Carson Age, Height, Weight
As Carson was born in 1951, he is 72 years old. He measures 5 feet 11 inches ( 1.81 meters) and weighs around 80 Kilograms.
Ben Carson Wife And Family
Ben Carson’s family includes his wife, children, and grandchildren. His wife is Lacena ‘Candy’ Rustin, a Detroit citizen born on August 19, 1953. She is an American author and businesswoman.
Carson and Lacena met in 1971 as students at Yale University. After four years of dating, they married in 1975. In 1988, they moved to the West Friendship community in Maryland, U.S.
The couple have three sons together and many grandchildren. The names of their sons include Rhoeyce Carson, Murray Carson and Benjamin Jr.
Ben Carson Net Worth
As of 2023, Ben Carson’s net worth is around $30 million.
He has made his wealth from his professional career as a neurosurgeon and through a short political career.
Besides, Carson makes money through speaking engagements and royalties from his best-selling books.
Although we don’t have the current year’s data, according to a 2015 financial disclosure, Carson revealed that from 2014 to 2015, he and his wife earned between $9-$27 million through speaking engagements, book royalties and fees for serving as a Board member for different companies.
In 2014, Carson alone made nearly $2 million through delivering speeches, with his per-speech fee ranging from $12,000-$50,000 on average.
Ben Carson Education
| K-6 | Detroit Public Schools | 1956-1961 |
| 5-6 | Higgins Elementary School | 1961-1963 |
| 7-8 | Wilson Junior High School | 1963-1964 |
| 8 | Hunter Junior High School | 1964 |
| 9-12 | Southwestern High School | 1965-1969 |
| Undergraduate | Yale University | 1969-1973 |
| Medical School | University of Michigan Medical School | 1973-1977 |
Ben Carson’s initial school academics had suffered many transitions since early grades. He began his schooling in 1956 at Detroit Public Schools
Carson attended white Higgins Elementary School for 5-6 grades and white Wilson Junior High School for 7th and first half of 8th grade.
He joined black Hunter Junior High School for the second half of 8th grade.
He attended black Southwestern High School from grades 9 to 12 and graduated third in his class in 1969.
In 1973, Carson obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Yale University, where he worked part-time on campus as a student police aide.
Carson later enrolled at the University of Michigan Medical School in 1973 and completed his Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree in 1977.
Ben Carson Career
After his education, Ben Carson began his medical career as a surgical intern at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine’s neurosurgery program in 1977.
At 33, after 6 years of practice, in 1984, he became the director of pediatric neurosurgery at the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center. He became famous as the youngest chief of pediatric neurosurgery in the United States.
Carson retired from medicine in 2013. At his retirement, he was a professor of neurosurgery, oncology, plastic surgery, pediatrics, and other specialties at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
He served in the medical profession from 1984 to 2013 and is internationally known as a master in his field. He has performed some of the most complex and challenging surgeries on children.
Carson became popular among political conservatives after his speech at the 2013 National Prayer Breakfast. He began his political journey in 2015 when he officially announced his candidacy for the 2016 Presidential election in the United States.
Despite performing well in the early polls, Carson withdrew from the race after the disappointing primary election result and endorsed Donald Trump‘s presidential run.
After Trump won the election and became the President, he nominated Carson as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
Following the U.S. Senate voting on March 2, 2017, Carson gained the position. He served as the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development from 2017 to 2021.
Carson is endorsing Trump’s 2024 run. In one of his recent speeches, Carson said, “Donald Trump believes in our freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and the right to keep and bear arms. So we can fix our country and we can make America great again. And President Donald J. Trump is the person to do that.”
Ben Carson Religion, Ethnicity, Nationality
Ben Carson’s religion is Seventh-day Adventist. His ethnicity is Black conservative, and he holds American nationality.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Ben Carson’s age?
As of 2023, Carson is 72 years old.
How is Ben Carson inspirational?
Carson is a famous neurosurgeon who used his wisdom to save people’s lives. He once said, “As a kid, my knife was once a weapon. Now I use it to save lives.” Throughout his medical career, Carson has inspired people, giving them hope and courage to fight and live with the odds in their lives.
When did Ben Carson get married?
Carson married Lacena ‘Candy’ Rustin in 1975.
What are some interesting facts about Ben Carson?
The fascinating fact is Carson was the first surgeon to successfully separate a Siamese twin conjoined at the head in 1987. Carson was the youngest chief of pediatric neurosurgery at 33 in the United States.
Carson is the author of four books, including “Gifted Hands” (1990), “Think Big” (1996), “The Big Picture” (2000), and ” Take the Risk” (2008).
How many children does Ben Carson have?
Carson and her husband have three sons. They are Murray, Benjamin Jr., and Rhoeyce.
How tall is Ben Carson?
Carson is 5 feet 11 inches tall.
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