By Frances Rice
In a statement about his choice Trump said:
“I am thrilled to nominate Dr. Ben Carson as our next
secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Ben Carson
has a brilliant mind and is passionate about strengthening communities and families
within those communities.
“We have talked at length about my urban renewal agenda
and our message of economic revival, very much including our inner cities. Ben shares my optimism about the future of
our country as is part of ensuring that this is a presidency representing all
Americans. He is a tough competitor and never gives up.”
Carson, a retired pediatric neurosurgeon, replied: “I
feel that I can make a significant contribution particularly by strengthening
communities that are most in need. We have much work to do in enhancing every
aspect of our nation and ensuring that our nation’s housing needs are met.”
The selection of Carson is seen as a major step by Trump
to keep the promises he made to inner cities that he would revitalize those communities
with tax incentives for businesses to locate there, as well as making federal
disaster declarations for blighted urban centers to allow for increased police
protection, investment in infrastructure and demolition of abandoned
properties.
The inspiring life story of Carson was dramatized in the
TV movie, "Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story.” Details about Carson's life are also contained in his book and the role of Carson in the TV movie was
played by actor Cuba Gooding Jr.
During speaking engagements, especially while he was a presidential
candidate, Carson spoke about his difficult upbringing after his father left
his family when Carson was only 8 years old.
Carson credits his mother with forcing him and Carson's
brother, Curtis, to turn off the television and read a set number of books each
week from the library, then report back to her on their contents. He said it
helped him overcome what he has described as a bad temper and poor attitude
toward education.
An overachiever, Carson graduated with honors from
Southwestern High School, where he also became a senior commander in the
school's ROTC program. He earned a full scholarship to Yale University and
graduated in 1973 with a bachelor's degree in psychology before enrolling in
the School of Medicine at the University of Michigan.
At age 33, Carson became the youngest doctor to head a
major division at Johns Hopkins Hospital, taking over the department of
pediatric neurosurgery.
In 1987, Carson became the first surgeon to separate
conjoined twins joined at the back of the head. He and his wife, Candy, have
also started the Carson Scholars Fund, which has provided more than 7,300
scholarships since 1994 to students across the country.
Carson received the Spingarn Medal, the highest honor
bestowed by the NAACP in 2006. President George W. Bush awarded
Carson the Ford's Theatre Lincoln Medal and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in
February 2008.
In taking over HUD, Carson inherits an agency with some
7,600 employees and a budget of more than $30 billion. Each year, HUD provides billions in aid to
communities across the nation through various housing programs.
