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Scientist and inventor, George Washington Carver was believed to be born in the year 1864 in Diamond Missouri. Carter, his sister, and mother were kidnapped by raiders from the neighboring state of Arkansas and sold in the state of Kentucky. Carter was the only one located by an agent of Moses Carver and returned to Missouri.

When slavery ended at the end of the Civil War, Moses and his wife kept George and his brother to raise and educate. Susan Carver taught him how to read and write because no schools would accept black students during that time. When he became a young man, George traveled 10 miles away to go to a school for black children.

He went on to attend Highland College in Highland, Kansas yet when the school learned about his race, they denied his admittance. George Carver was not just interested in science his whole life, he found a liking to the arts as well. He studied art and music at Simpson College. He later became the first black student at Iowa State, obtained his Bachelor of Science degree and stayed to pursue his Master’s degree. After obtaining his degrees, Booker T. Washington hired him to run Tuskegee’s agricultural department in 1896.

A lot of people believe George Washington Carver invented peanut butter but actually, he didn’t. He did conduct a lot of research into new and alternate uses for peanuts. He became known as the “Peanut Man” after he gave a speech before the Peanut Growers Association in 1920.

At 78-years-old, George Washington Carver passed away after falling down the stairs in his home on January 5th, 1943. He was buried next to Booker T. Washington on the grounds of Tuskegee University.

“Education is the key to unlock the golden door of freedom.” – George Washington Carver

 

 

Information obtained from Biography