Benjamin Carson born in Detroit
Benjamin Solomon Carson is born in Detroit, Michigan, to Sonya and Robert Solomon Carson, a Seventh-day Adventist minister. His parents come from rural Georgia. He is their second son. Carson’s mother raises her two boys on her own, supporting the family with two or more cleaning jobs at a time. Carson attends Durfee Elementary School.
I not only saw and felt the difference my mother made in my life, I am still living out that difference as a man.
First successful separation of craniopagus twins
Carson heads team that separates seven-month-old twins joined at the back of the head in a 22-hour operation. This is the first time this type of surgery is successful and Carson is cautiously optimistic.
We did everything humanly possible to bring this off.. Right now, they are in stable but critical condition. The rest of it is up to God. It will be days before doctors will have any sense of whether either boy will recover and live a normal life.
Gifted Hands autobiography
Carson publishes an autobiography entitled, Gifted Hands, telling the story of his life as a disadvantaged inner city youth through when he becomes Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins University Hospital.
My major hope is that the message . . . will be seen by millions and millions of young people who might begin to recognize that they actually play a very major role in what happens to them in terms of the decisions that they make, regardless of the environment that they’re growing up in.
Part of Bijani team
Carson is one of the surgeons on the team that attempts the first separation of conjoined twins joined at the skull. Neither twin survives.
The women certainly understood the risks and were determined to proceed. I felt compelled to get involved to help give them their best chance at survival and separation, and I have no regrets over my decision. No act is a failure if you learn from it.
Council on Bioethics appointment
Dr. Carson is selected to work with the President’s Council on Bioethics. He is one of seventeen physicians, ethicists, lawyers, scientist and theologians tackling a variety of bioethics matters and advising the president on these issues especially when they conflict. Carson:
I thank President Bush for the honor of an invitation to serve on this important council. As discovery and technology move science and medicine rapidly forward, I look forward to participating in meaningful dialogues on the ethics of applying this new knowledge to care for humankind.
Receives Presidential Medal of Freedom
Carson is awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Bush at the White House. The medal is the country’s highest award for civilians. Carson:
I am humbled by President Bush’s recognition of my work. I am extremely grateful that he chose to honor me not only for my work as a neurosurgeon, but also for my efforts to improve the lives of America’s youth. I am blessed to have the opportunity to pursue both paths, which I consider equally important.
Think Big
In Think Big, Carson gives his personal formula for success, which he basis on his own life developing from an inner city ghetto kid to a world famous neurosurgeon. He spells out his philosophy which he believes will improve quality of life through easily remembered points based on the letters that spell out the title.
It does not matter where we come from or what we look like. If we recognize our abilities, are willing to learn and to use what we know in helping others, we will always have a place in the world.
Meets with Carson Scholars
Carson returns to his Alma mater, Yale, to meet with the five 2012 Carson Scholars, who excel based on their academic excellence and humanitarian qualities.
It’s always great to be back particularly at a time like this when we can honor those young people who worked so very hard to achieve this distinction Anybody who can win one of these can do virtually anything.
Appointed school board president
Carson is named president of the board of East Baltimore Community Schools. He will help oversee operations for the Elmer A. Henderson School: A Johns Hopkins Partnership School. Hopkins President:
Dr. Carson has served the children of East Baltimore for many years. We are incredibly fortunate that he has now agreed to lend his time, expertise and energy to the students, parents and educators of the Henderson-Hopkins school. His talents will be a boon to the school, which itself is a keystone to the success of East Baltimore Development Inc.
Retires from neurosurgery
Carson retires from neurosurgery on the 36th anniversary of the start of his career at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Carson describes his last day as:
Many people saying goodbye; securing and giving things to people. One last patient visit and, at the end of day, a speaking engagement, which is now my new life.
Beyond Affirmative Action
In an article for Townhall.com, Carson says he believes that affirmative action helped provide him with opportunities he otherwise would miss.
I believe that I benefited from affirmative action. When I applied to Yale University, I thought my chances of being accepted were favorable only because I was somewhat naive about admissions requirements for a high-powered Ivy League institution. In my mind, I was pretty hot stuff. Only after I got to Yale and became cognizant of my classmates’ many accomplishments did I realize that the admissions committee had taken a substantial risk on me and that I had been extended special consideration. My early academic experiences were traumatic, and but for the grace of God, I would have flunked out.
And calls for “compassionate action” to account for difficulties that college applicants have faced in their upbringing:
Such a strategy demonstrates sensitivity and compassion, as well as recognition of substantial achievement in the face of difficult obstacles. The groups who benefit from compassionate action will probably change over time, depending on which ones have the greatest number of obstacles to overcome. The point is, it’s time to be more concerned about the content of character than the color of skin when extending extra consideration.
Switches party
Carson switches parties, changing from Independent back to Republican on Election Day and files paperwork in his new home state of Florida.
It’s truly a pragmatic move because I have to run in one party or another. If you run as an independent, you only risk splitting the electorate. I clearly would not be welcome in the Democratic Party, and so that only leaves one party. Fortunately, the fit is pretty good. I believe in reasonable sized government. I believe in personal responsibility. I believe in individual freedom. And I believe in creating an environment to let free markets grow our economy. And all of that is very consistent with being a Republican.
Think Big video
To promote, You Have A Brain, A Teen’s Guide To T.H.I.N.K. B.I.G., Carson appears in a video outlining the meaning of his philosophy:
K is for knowledge, which is the thing that makes you into a more valuable person. Things don’t mean anything. It’s knowledge that allows you to be able to acquire things, it allows you to be able to move to the place that you want to move to, and to accomplish the things that you want to do. That is really why Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, talked so glowingly about what knowledge can do for a person.
Denies war on women
Carson gives the first address at the CPAC 2015 conference including discussions on pro-life themes and states that abortion advocates label people who are pro-life “anti-woman.”
There is no war on [women], the war is on their babies. Babies that cannot defend themselves. Over the past few decades, we have destroyed 55 million of them. And we have the nerve to call other societies of the past heathen. What we need to do is re-educate the women to understand that they are the defenders of these babies.
Launches exploratory panel
During an interview on Fox News, Carson says he is launching an exploratory panel to determine if there is enough support to make it feasible for him to run for president. He says he has already hired around twelve people to conduct focus groups and polling. The committee will be based in Alexandria, VA.
We are officially launching our exploratory committee. That means we have put in motion the staffing and the mechanism to explore to see whether me running for President in 2016 is a viable thing…We have tremendous popular support. The money will be there if the people want me to do this.
Charges for events
Carson breaks from tradition by continuing to charge for speaking events while campaigning for President. Business Manager:
If he’s booked through the Washington Speakers Bureau, he’s being paid. While…the doctor continues to give paid speeches, they were all booked far in advance. It’s a contractual situation…No new paid speeches [have] been put on Carson’s schedule since July 2014. Everything, with the exception of two or three [paid engagements], will be cleared off the calendar by May
Paid events contradiction
While Carson’s Business Manager insists that all paid speaking engagements for Carson during the campaign were contracted for in advance with nothing new added since July 2014, his Communications Director disagrees:
Carson’s business office continued scheduling paid speaking engagements through January 2015. Carson is set to give an unspecified number of paid speeches extending into next fall.
Announces Presidential run
Carson announces that he is joining the race for the Presidency, in his home town of Detroit.
Now that I have introduced my family, you say, Who are you? I am Ben Carson and I am a candidate for President of the United States.
Raises concern on GOP debate
Carson raises concerns over polling requirement for GOP candidates to participate in Fox News presidential debate. He also asks Republican National Committee for a solution that is inclusive of every voice.
I am writing you today about an issue that concerns me greatly…I am very worried that out of broadcasting convenience our party is about to exclude voices from our debate programs that are critical to making our party bigger, better, and bolder…The rules may be good for me personally, but they are not good for the process. We are blessed to have many qualified candidates running for President. More than a typical debate format can handle. Surely we can find a format that allows every voice to be heard.
Wants inclusive debate
Despite his own surge in popularity that makes him a strong candidate for the first Republican debate, Carson asks the RNC to allow all candidates to participate.
I am very worried that out of broadcasting convenience our party is about to exclude voices from our debate programs that are critical to making our party bigger, better, and bolder. The rules may be good for me personally, but they are not good for the process. We are blessed to have so many qualified candidates running for president, more than a typical debate format can handle. Surely we could find a format to allow every voice to be heard.