Carver, George Washington, 1864?-1943

Agricultural research scientist.

George Washington Carver was director of the R & D station at Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute.

African-American agricultural chemist, agronomist, and experimenter.

Carver served as Director of Agriculture at Tuskegee Institute.

George Washington Carver, an African-American educator and agricultural scientist, was the Director of the Research and Experiment Station at Tuskegee Institute, Alabama.

Calligrapher Anges Benson met George Washington Carver in the early 1930's. The two exchanged letters, poems and works of art until 1939, when Dr. Carver was unable to continue the correspondence due to illness.

George Washington Carver was a prominent African American research scientist, specializing in agriculture. Born a slave, his discoveries revolutionized the economy of Southern States by reducing their dependence on cotton, and making peanuts, sweet potatoes, and soybeans viable cash crops.

Carver was an agricultural chemist; "peanut and sweet potato wizard"; teacher, Tuskegee Institute. Carried off with father & mother by raiders; purchased when less than 6 months old by former master, Moses Carter; father & mother sold to separate owners in Southwest Missouri. Given name, "George Washington" for industry and honesty; was too small & frail to work as field hand; was good cook & could sew, crochet and paint well enough to win prizes. For about 10 years he wandered from odd job to job in Kansas. 1894 - graduated from Iowa Agricultural College, Ames, Ia. 1896 - M.A., Ames; was graduate assistant for 2 years and was offered professorship on getting his degree. 1896 - accepted job at Tuskegee. Pioneered in finding new uses for sweet potato, peanut, & soy beans.

George Washington Carver was an African American agricultural chemist.

Often cited as the inventor of peanut butter, Carver also served as Director of Agriculture at Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute and made important advances in agriculture. He was born near Diamond Grove, Missouri, in 1864, and died in 1943.

Agricultural scientist, teacher, humanitarian, artist, and Iowa State alumnus (1894, 1896). George Washington Carver was born ca. 1864, the son of slaves on the Moses Carver plantation near Diamond Grove, Missouri. He lost his father in infancy, and at the age of 6 months was stolen along with his mother by raiders, but was later found and traded back to his owner for a $300 race horse. He enrolled in Simpson College, Indianola, Iowa in 1890 studying music and art. Etta Budd, his art instructor whose father was head of the Dept. of Horticulture at Iowa State College, convinced him to give up a career in art and go into scientific agriculture. He came to Ames in 1891 where he was active in the YMCA, Welch Eclectic Society, and college military regiment. He received his B.S. and M.S. in Agriculture in 1894 and 1896 respectively. Carver was not only the first black to enroll as a student at Iowa State, but was also the first black to join the faculty. In 1895 he was the assistant botanist in the Experiment Station and worked there until the following year, when Booker t. Washington asked him to join the staff at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama.

At Tuskegee Carver organized the Agricultural Department, planned the first agricultural building, taught classes in chemistry and botany and conducted research. He served as Director of Agriculture, the first Director of the Agricultural Research and Experiment Station and Head of the Dept. of Research. His work led to the creation of many products made from native materials. These include over 300 products from peanuts and over 100 products from sweet potatoes. He also developed many products from Alabama clay, cotton, soybeans, pecans, wood shavings and waste materials. During his lifetime Carver received a multitude of honors, including honorary degrees from Simpson College, University of Rochester, and Selma University. A feature film of his life was made in Hollywood in 1938. In 1940, he bequeathed his estate to Tuskegee Institute and established the George Washington Carver Foundation to continue his work. Carver has been called the father of chemurgy.

Biography

George Washington Carver was a noted African American agricultural chemist. Often cited as the inventor of peanut butter, Carver also served as Director of Agriculture at Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute and made important advances in agriculture. He was born near Diamond Grove, Missouri, in 1864, and died in 1943.