Ben Fernandez facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ben Fernandez
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| U.S. Special Envoy to Paraguay | |
| In office August 1, 1973 – August 31, 1973 |
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| President | Richard Nixon |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 24, 1925 Kansas City, Kansas, U.S. |
| Died | April 25, 2000 (aged 75) Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Occupation | politician, financial consultant |
| Known for | First major-party presidential contender of Hispanic origin |
Benjamin Fernandez (born February 24, 1925 – died April 25, 2000) was an important American politician, financial expert, and special ambassador. He was a member of the Republican Party. He tried to become President three times. In 1980, he was the first major candidate of Hispanic background to run for president.
Ben was born in Kansas. His parents came from Mexico. He fought in World War II. After the war, he built a successful business career. He started getting involved in politics in the late 1960s. He helped start a group for Hispanic Republicans. He also raised money for politicians like President Richard Nixon. In 1973, President Nixon made him a special ambassador to Paraguay.
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Early Life of Ben Fernandez
Benjamin Fernandez was born in Kansas City, Kansas. His family lived in a converted boxcar near the railroad tracks. He was one of seven children. His parents were Mexican migrants who came to the U.S. looking for work. The whole family worked hard as farm workers in Michigan and Indiana. They never asked for government help. Later, people called him "Boxcar Ben" because of his humble beginnings.
Fernandez joined the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. He served in the military for three years. After his service, he moved to California with only $20. He used his G.I. benefits to go to college. Fernandez studied at the University of Redlands. He worked as a waiter and supervisor at the local YMCA to pay for his studies. He earned a degree in Economics.
Ben Fernandez's Career Journey
After graduating, Fernandez moved to New York City. He worked at General Electric during the day. At night, he went to New York University for graduate school. He earned a master's degree in Foreign Trade and Marketing. He also completed all the courses for a PhD in Economics. He finished a four-year course in just two years.
General Electric hired him for their financial training program. Later, he became the Director of Marketing Research at O. A. Sutton Corporation in Kansas. After three years, he moved to Los Angeles. There, he became a consulting economist. He specialized in setting up savings and loan associations and commercial banks.
His work as a financial consultant became well-known. From 1960 to 1976, he was asked to share his knowledge over 500 times. He testified before federal and state agencies.
He was also praised for his new ideas in business. The United States Department of Commerce recognized his work. He founded a non-profit group called the National Economic Development Association (NEDA). NEDA helped Spanish-speaking Americans start businesses. This group helped arrange over $2 billion in private loans. Most of these loans were paid back. Through his various business ventures, Ben Fernandez became a millionaire.
Political Involvement and Public Service
A reporter once asked Ben Fernandez why he was a Republican. He remembered a story from college. Someone told him the Republican Party was for rich people. "Sign me up!" Fernandez replied, "I've had enough of poverty." Fernandez believed that Hispanic voters were a "golden opportunity" for the Republican Party. He said the party was "truly the party of the open door."
He strongly felt that the party could gain a lot by welcoming the growing Hispanic community. He claimed that Hispanics were "natural Republicans." He said they had a "centuries-old suspicion of oppressive central governments." He also believed they learned to be careful with money from their mothers.
Fernandez was very active in Republican groups. He held many political roles during the Nixon and Reagan presidencies. In 1972, he helped raise money for President Nixon. He chaired the Hispanic Finance Committee to Re-elect the President. He was also a National Co-Chairman of the Finance Committee.
With Fernandez's help, Nixon's 1972 campaign was the first to reach out to Hispanic voters. This helped Nixon get 60% of the Hispanic vote. President Nixon later appointed Fernandez to the President's Council for Minority Enterprise.
In August 1973, President Nixon appointed Fernandez as Special Ambassador to Paraguay. He represented the United States at the inauguration of Paraguay's president. While there, he spoke to banking and savings and loan industries. Fernandez also served on the Executive Council of the Republican National Committee in 1976.
Republican National Hispanic Assembly
Fernandez was a strong supporter of Hispanic involvement in the Republican Party. In 1967, he was one of five World War II veterans who met in Washington, D.C. They discussed how Hispanics could get more involved in American politics. He helped create the Republican National Hispanic Council. He was elected its first national chairman. This group later became the Republican National Hispanic Assembly. It became an official part of the Republican National Committee. This happened under the leadership of George H. W. Bush.
Presidential Campaigns
In October 1978, Fernandez announced he would run for president. He wanted to be the Republican Party's candidate. He was the first major-party presidential candidate of Hispanic background. In 1980, he ran in a crowded primary election. He appeared on the ballot in 18 states. He received 25,520 votes across the country. This was enough to win thirty delegates at the Republican convention.
During the primaries, Fernandez campaigned in both English and Spanish. He said that private businesses could do better than the government. He also called for a balanced federal budget. His campaign focused a lot on the first primary in Puerto Rico. He believed that Hispanic voters would support a fellow Hispanic.
After his primary campaign ended, he spoke at the 1980 Republican Convention. He supported Ronald Reagan. President-elect Reagan then appointed Fernandez to his transition team. He was Reagan's senior small business adviser. Fernandez also welcomed Reagan to Texas during his general election campaign. He helped Reagan connect with Mexican-American voters.
In 1984, Fernandez ran for president again. This was mostly a symbolic campaign. He ran to show his disagreement with high unemployment and government spending under Reagan. He also disagreed with Reagan's "heavy-handed" military approach. He focused on the New Hampshire primary. He received about one percent of the vote. Fernandez ran one last campaign in 1988, similar to his 1984 effort.
Personal Life and Later Years
Fernandez had three daughters with his first wife. He later married Jacqueline Coon. They lived in California. Fernandez then lived in Las Vegas, Nevada, until he passed away. He continued to work as a consulting economist even after retiring. He often traveled across the country. In 2000, he served on the McCain Presidential Finance Committee. This was his last political involvement before his death.
Legacy and Impact
Ben Fernandez was the first Hispanic presidential candidate from a major party. However, this fact was largely forgotten over time. For example, when New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson ran for president in 2008, he said he was the first Hispanic candidate. Most people did not correct him.
