Benjamin S. Carson Sr., M.D.
An apparently reasonably happy childhood was abruptly turned upside down when young Benjamin Carson’s parents divorced after the discovery of his father’s other family. At his tender age of 8, his now single mother had the daunting task of raising two sons and managing their household with only a third-grade education.
Although the dire poverty throughout his childhood seemed never-ending, through careful observation and prayer, his mother developed a firm belief that education and faith in the Lord were the channels that would change the course of her boys’ lives and end the cycle of poverty for her family. Once she instituted a reading program for her sons, their academic scores propelled them from the bottom to the top of their classes…and into a competitive position for the colleges of their choices.
After graduating from Yale University, Dr. Carson earned his M.D. from the University of Michigan Medical School.
For nearly 30 years, Dr. Carson served as Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center. He assumed this position when he was just 33 years old, making him the youngest major division director in the hospital’s history. In 1987, he successfully performed the first separation of craniopagus twins conjoined at the back of the head. He also performed the first
fully successful separation of type-2 vertical craniopagus twins in 1997 in South Africa.
Dr. Carson received dozens of honors and awards in recognition of his achievements including:
- the Presidential Medal of Freedom awarded by President George W. Bush, the highest civilian honor of the United States
- the Spingarn Medal presented by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the highest honor of the NAACP
- recognition by U.S. News Media Group and Harvard’s Center for Public Leadership as one of “America’s Best Leaders”
- recognition by the Gallup Organization as one of the 10 Most Admired Men in the World
- recognition as one of the 89 “Living Legends” by the Library of Congress
- membership in the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society and the Horatio Alger Society of Distinguished Americans
Dr. Carson also:
- sits on the board of directors of several organizations
- is an Emeritus Fellow of the Yale Corporation, the governing body of Yale University
- was appointed in 2004 by President George W. Bush to serve on the President’s Council on Bioethics
- is a highly regarded motivational speaker who has addressed various audiences from school systems and civic groups to corporations and the President’s National Prayer Breakfast
- has more than 70 honorary doctorate degrees and numerous national merit citations
- has written 11 books, six of which were co-authored with his wife, Candy
- is the feature of many children’s books meant to inspire youth to “Think Big”
In 2016, Dr. Carson became the 17th Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, under the Trump administration. Afterwards, in 2021, Dr. Carson founded the American Cornerstone Institute (ACI). The ACI is focused on fighting for the principles that have guided him through life and that make this country great: faith, liberty, community and life.
Prior to his government service, Dr. Carson and his wife, Candy Carson, co-founded the Carson Scholars Fund, which recognizes young people of all backgrounds for exceptional academic and humanitarian accomplishments. The organization has awarded more than 12,000 scholarships and has paid out more than $10 million. The Carson Scholars Fund is currently operating in 50
states and the District of Columbia, and since its founding, has installed more than 300 Ben Carson Reading Rooms around the country.
The year 2025 marked the 50th wedding anniversary of the Carsons, who are proud parents and grandparents.
