Dr. Benjamin Carson Forum Address

Dr. Benjamin Carson, a world-renowned neurosurgeon and social activist, was BYU’s Black History Month forum speaker.  But without knowing that he was invited to speak specifically for the occasion, you might have never suspected it.  Dr. Carson gave a wonderful address, but the mention of race was never made.  How then, does he qualify as a black history month speaker?

I was actually very surprised that the issue of Dr. Carson’s race never once came up in his remarks.  What he did instead was rather remarkable, I think.  It was almost as though he purposely avoided the subject.  As I listened to him speak, I wondered why he didn’t bring it up.  I was almost disappointed that he didn’t.  But as I reflected on it later, the significance of what he’d done became apparent.

By not directly addressing the issue of race, Dr. Carson effectively connected with the audience (a group of mostly white students) better than he could have if he had set himself apart as an African American.  By refusing to make that distinction, I felt that Dr. Carson was grouping us all together as simply Americans.  For me, at least, this was refreshing.  When race is constantly being brought up, it becomes a separator.  But unity results when the issue is left alone.

This approach to his speaking assignment allowed Dr. Carson to address issues that were universally applicable, especially to BYU students.  He spoke of the greatness of America and the promise that our nation holds.  He spoke of the importance of involving everyday people in the government, not just politicians.  He spoke of religion and the importance of promoting a belief in God and morals.  He spoke of the crucial role of education in children’s lives, and what can be done to increase its quality.  All of these are things that BYU students hold as valuable.

Even though Dr. Carson did not mention skin color, he still made a very strong, though unspoken, commentary on race.  It was as if he were saying, I refuse to be defined by my blackness.  And by so doing, he encouraged us to not let ourselves be defined by the stereotypes we may fall into as well.  We are the ones who decide who we are and what defines us.


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