Candy Carson

Candy Carson

Mrs. Carson beside her husband Ben during his 2016 presidential campaign
Personal details
Born Lacena Rustin
(1953-08-19) August 19, 1953
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) Ben Carson (1975–present)
Alma mater Yale University
Johns Hopkins University

Lacena "Candy" Carson (born Rustin), usually known as Candy Carson, became known for her co-founding and promotion of the Carson Scholars Fund and for co-authoring four books with her husband Ben Carson.[1] During her husband's campaign for the 2016 Republican nomination for President of the United States, Candy Carson was active on the campaign trail doing TV appearances and solo live campaign appearances.[2]

Education and accomplishments

In her undergraduate studies, Carson majored in music and psychology with pre-medical coursework at Yale University, while on a scholarship.[3] She also earned a Masters in Business Administration[4] at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School.[5][6]

Candy is a former concert violinist,[7] who performed the National Anthem during her husband’s campaign kick-off.[8] She played violin for the Yale Symphony and Bach Society while attending Yale.[3] She conducted the University of Maryland Medical Center Chamber Players.[9][10]

Carson worked in real estate, trust administration and insurance in the Baltimore area.[9] Carson has been interviewed or profiled many times in the media including by Greta Van Susteren [11] Latin Post,[12] The View,[13] Breitbart,[14] The Hill,[15] Bustle,[16] National Review,[17] The Daily Mail,[18] Fox News (as an author)[19] and CNN.[20]

Carson Scholars Fund

In 1994, Ben and Candy Carson started the Carson Scholars Fund, which gave scholarships to students in grades 4–11 for "academic excellence and humanitarian qualities".[21] They founded it after reading that U.S. students ranked second to last in terms of math and science testing among 22 countries. They also noticed that schools awarded athletes with trophies whereas honor students received only "a pin or certificate." Candy runs the Fund.[4][8][22]

Recipients of the Carson Scholars Fund get a $1,000 scholarship towards their college education. It has awarded 6,700 scholarships.[21][23] In recognition for his work with the Carson Scholars Fund and other charitable giving throughout his lifetime, Carson was awarded the William E. Simon Prize for Philanthropic Leadership in 2005.[24]

Portrayal in popular media

Candy Carson was portrayed by Aunjanue Ellis in the TNT made-for-TV movie Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story (first airdate February 7, 2009), starring Cuba Gooding, Jr..

Candy Carson starred as herself along with her husband Ben Carson and her mother-in-law Sonya Carson in the 1991 biographical documentary Gifted Hands on her husband's life.[25][26]

Her life with Dr Carson has been covered in their autobiographical books.

Marriage, family and faith

Candy grew up poor in inner-city Detroit. She was one of five children born to a teacher and a factory worker.[3]

Though both the Carsons are from Detroit, they did not meet there. Rather, they met in 1971 as students at Yale and got to know each other while recruiting for the school and traveling to and from Detroit together. They married in 1975, and have three sons (Murray, Benjamin Jr., and Rhoeyce) and several grandchildren.[8] They lived in West Friendship, Maryland until 2013 but have since moved to Florida.[6] They are members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.[27][28] She has been a vegetarian since before she met her husband over 40 years ago.[29][30][31][32]

Books by Candy Carson

Candy Carson has co-authored four books with her husband, including One Nation: What We Can All Do to Save America's Future, which made The New York Times Best Seller list, including five weeks at #1.[1] Her memoir was released at the beginning of 2016.

References

  1. 1 2 Barnes, Fred (January 26, 2015). "Taking Ben Carson Seriously". Weeklystandard.com. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
  2. ↑ "With Ben Carson a contender, a look at wife Candy". TheHill. 2015-10-23. Retrieved 2015-10-28.
  3. 1 2 3 "Candy Carson Just Showed Michelle What A CLASSY First Lady Looks Like (VIDEO) - The Political Insider". The Political Insider. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  4. 1 2 Clark Mindock (22 October 2015). "Who Is Candy Carson? Ben Carson's Wife Gets Compared To Michelle Obama". International Business Times. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  5. ↑ Philip Elliott (2015-07-16). "The GOP's New Better Halves". TIME. Retrieved 2015-10-28.
  6. 1 2 "Candy Carson". Penguin Random House. Retrieved 2015-10-28.
  7. ↑ http://www.opportunityvillage.org/blogs/latest-newst/39766913-concert-violinist-candy-carson-tours-and-performs-at-opportunity-village
  8. 1 2 3 Frederick Reese. "Candy Carson, Ben’s Wife: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know". Heavy.com. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  9. 1 2 http://jawbreaker.nyc/6-things-you-should-know-about-ben-carsons-wife-lacena-candy-carson/
  10. ↑ http://www.penguin.com/author/candy-carson/228856
  11. ↑ http://radio.foxnews.com/2015/10/27/candy-carson-really-didnt-want-to-spend-a-week-with-dr-ben-carson-in-college/
  12. ↑ http://www.latinpost.com/articles/89616/20151025/who-is-candy-carson-ben-carsons-wife-profile-a-glimpse-of-her-role-in-the-republican-election-campaign.htm
  13. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Cn7FUqDGto
  14. ↑ http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/07/06/exclusive-candy-carson-talks-about-her-40-year-wedding-anniversary-with-dr-ben-carson-faith-and-campaigning/
  15. ↑ http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/presidential-campaign/257849-with-ben-carson-a-contender-a-look-at-wife-candy
  16. ↑ http://www.bustle.com/articles/102450-who-is-ben-carsons-wife-candy-carson-is-also-an-accomplished-violinist
  17. ↑ http://www.nationalreview.com/article/423730/ben-carson-wife-cand
  18. ↑ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3262406/Ben-Carson-s-wife-Candy-gets-political-View-wife-40-years-steps-spotlight-doctor-s-polls-surge.html
  19. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjkK4OcY7rQ
  20. ↑ http://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2015/10/08/candy-carson-sot-erin.cnn
  21. 1 2 Madeleine Buckley. "Our History". Carson Scholars Fund. Retrieved 2015-05-08.
  22. ↑ Interview with Candy Carson. YouTube. 24 January 2011. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  23. ↑ Simmons, Deborah (February 1, 2009). "Carson fund helps to inspire students". The Washington Times.
  24. ↑ "Updates on Past Winners, 2001-2013". Philanthropy Roundtable. Retrieved January 13, 2015.
  25. ↑ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5184142/?ref_=nmbio_mbio
  26. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QQBj2EucZk
  27. ↑ "Encyclopedia of World Biography: Biography of Benjamin S. Carson". Notable Biographies. Retrieved May 20, 2013.
  28. ↑ "Ben Carson". Redland Baptist Church. Retrieved May 24, 2014.
  29. ↑ "Grain, Bean Combinations Protein-rich". tribunedigital-sunsentinel. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  30. ↑ "Dr. Ben Carson Tells His Life Story - Baltimore magazine". baltimoremagazine.net. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  31. ↑ "Ben Carson likes his burgers - and his bees". agri-pulse.com. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  32. ↑ "Vegetarian Times". google.ca. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  33. ↑ Carson, Candy & Carson, Ben (with). A More Perfect Union: What We the People Can Do to Reclaim Our Constitutional Liberties. Retrieved October 28, 2015.
  34. ↑ Carson, Candy (January 5, 2016). A Doctor in the House: My Life with Ben Carson. ISBN 9781595231246. Retrieved October 28, 2015.
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