George Washington Carver (1864-1943)

George Washington Carver was born in Diamond, Missouri in 1864. He was born into slavery and separated from his mother at a young age. As a young child he grew to love the outdoors and spent as much time as he could learning about plants.

Despite racial boundaries and injustice George began formal schooling at the age of eleven, keeping his love for plants and science close to his heart. He graduated from Iowa State University in 1891, and a few years later accepted a position as scientist and teacher at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama.

At Tuskegee, George focused his efforts on helping the local farmers improve their crops. George performed numerous experiments on such plants as peanuts and sweet potatoes in search of a more nutrient-filled and productive crop. He would soon discover the wonders of the peanut - along with over 300 products which could be produced using this marvelous plant!

George's hard work and experimentation earned him the Spingarn Medal in 1923, and the Theodore Roosevelt Medal for Distinguished Research in Agricultural Chemistry in 1939. Despite his tireless labor and research, George would accept no monetary compensation for his work, and believed the secrets of science were for all to share freely...

"Know science and science shall set you free, because science is truth."

~ George Washington Carver.

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