George Washington Carver was one of the most prevalent black scientists of the early 20th century. Responsible for developing techniques to help with soil depletion and discovering alternative crops to cotton, his impact on science (especially agriculture) and the community is undeniable. His drive for innovation and commitment to education made him a hallmark in history.
George was born sometime between 1861-1864 to an enslaved woman named Mary, owned by a white man named Moses Carver in Diamond, Missouri. Having lost his father to an accident before he was born, Mary remained his primary guardian for a mere week of his life. Her presence in his life was cut short upon a raid on the plantation conducted during the Civil War, where the two along with his sister were kidnapped and moved to Arkansas. There, they were sold individually. While Moses Carver searched far and wide for Mary, he was only able to locate George, whom he brought back to the plantation.
In 1865, when slavery was abolished, George earned freedom. He lived with Moses Carver until the ages of 10 or 12, after which he left to pursue new beginnings in education. He found shelter with an African American couple named Mariah and Andrew Watkins in Nesho, Missouri. He attempted to attend an all-black school, but retained knowledge much quicker than his peers and even his teacher could barely keep up with. He instead nursed his interests in agriculture, encouraged by Mariah Watkins. Additionally, over the years he self-educated as much as possible while bouncing between several jobs and areas. In his late 20s, he attended high school while continuing work.
George attempted to apply to Highland College in Kansas, where he was accepted. Yet when he arrived in person, he was quickly denied due to being Black. Dejected, he continued his trek across the country until he arrived in Iowa. There he met a white couple who urged him to apply to Simpson College in Indiana. He would spend a little bit of time studying art and piano there until his transfer to Iowa State Agricultural College. There he earned a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Science in 1894 and later his Master’s of Science in 1896. He was the first black individual to graduate from the institution.
He left Iowa to join the faculty of Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute’s newly opened agricultural department, where he would remain employed for the rest of his life. There, he focused on giving other African Americans strength via education and useful skills with his knowledge. Upon his promotion to director of agricultural research in 1896, George started researching ways to improve southern agriculture, especially for black farmers. He saw the decline of the Deep South’s agricultural production and longed to improve it. He found the best solution in the growing of peanuts and soybeans, members of the legume family that could restore nitrogen to struggling soil and provide much needed protein to consumers.
George hit a roadblock when farmers’ listening to his advice struggled to make profit off peanuts and soybeans due to low market demand. His response was a long stint of laboratory research, where he ultimately discovered 300 alternate products could be derived from peanuts, such as flour, ink, dyes, plastics, soap, and much more! He also discovered 118 uses for sweet potatoes, another crop he encouraged farmers to cultivate. In doing this, George helped black farmers secure financial liberation and success.
When his methods reached the public, hundreds and hundreds of Southern farmers utilized them. Upon the switch to peanuts and sweet potatoes, copious land was renewed, and farmers found themselves major suppliers of crops for most of America. Soon peanuts were recognized as an official crop, and by 1942 over five million acres of land were devoted to peanut growing. This monumental achievement destroyed the South’s overdependence on cotton production.
While George Washington Carver’s achievements were hailed by the white community, he was not keen on being hailed as a savior or example of “rare” black intelligence and excellence by them. In fact, he dismissed his image’s impact on racial politics entirely throughout most of his life. His focus was on serving humanity and improving it, not to politicize his persona.
George earned numerous accolades and awards before his passing on January 5th, 1943. His legacy will forever remain prevalent as will his innovations in agriculture. He will always be an inspiration for the black community to persevere and pursue their dreams in improving the quality of life of others. In his own words, “where there is no vision, there is no hope.”
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remember reading about this man in high school and doing a project on him, they never give you the more extensive knowledge in school though. that’s why we need articles like these!