Ben Fernandez
| Ben Fernandez | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Executive Council of the Republican National Committee | |
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In office 1976 |
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| United States Special Ambassador to Paraguay | |
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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 "Ben" Fernandez (February 24, 1925 – April 25, 2000) was an American politician, financial consultant and special ambassador. He was a member of the Republican Party. He ran for President of the United States three times, seriously in 1980 and with more perfunctory campaigns in 1984 and 1988, making him America's first major-party presidential contender of Hispanic origin.
Fernandez was born in Kansas to Mexican parents who were illegal immigrants. He served in World War II, then began a successful business career. He began to get involved with politics in the late 1960s, co-founding the Republican National Hispanic Council and serving as a fundraiser for Republican candidates starting with President Richard Nixon in 1972. In 1973, Nixon appointed him Special Ambassador to Paraguay.
Benjamin Fernandez was born in the railroad yards of Kansas City, Kansas in a converted railroad boxcar. Fernandez was one of seven brothers and sisters. His parents were illiterate Mexican migrants who were in the U.S. illegally seeking work. The entire family worked as farm workers in Michigan and Indiana, refusing government assistance. During his political career he was fondly nicknamed "Boxcar Ben".
Fernandez enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II and served in the military for three years. After his tour of duty, he landed in California with only $20 and his G.I. benefits. Fernandez enrolled at the University of Redlands in Redlands, California and found a job as a waiter and "supervisor of youngsters" at the local YMCA, paying his own way through college. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics.
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