George Washington Carver was born in Diamond
Grove, Missouri around 1864. A frail, sickly child, Carver
was unable to work in the fields, so he did household chores
and gardening. He was left with many free hours to wander the
woods — collecting rocks and flowers, and beginning a lifelong
love affair with nature. He soon became known as the "Plant
Doctor" and
would help friends and neighbors nurture sick plants.
Carver left Diamond Grove at age 12 to pursue an education,
a quest that led him to Iowa. In 1890, he began to study
music and art at Simpson College. An accomplished pianist
and painter, his artwork was displayed at the 1893 World's
Fair. Painting enabled him to combine his two loves — art
and nature. Yet it was his horticultural talents that took
him in another direction in 1891. Carver became the first
African-American to enroll at what is today Iowa State University.
He proved to be an excellent student and upon graduation
he became the school's first African-American faculty member.
In 1896, he received a request from Booker T. Washington to
become the Director of the Agriculture Department at Tuskegee
Normal and Industrial School in Tuskegee, Alabama. Upon arriving,
he found that the school was short on funds so Dr. Carver had
to equip his own lab. He and his students would search trash
heaps for items to use. This resourcefulness proved that Dr.
Carver was well ahead of his time. These scavenger hunts with
his students were an early example of recycling and the conservation
of natural resources. Thus began an adventure in Alabama that
would span five decades.
In 1916, he published the research bulletin, "How to Grow
the Peanut and 105 Ways of Preparing it For Human Consumption." At
the time, the boll weevil had destroyed Alabama's cotton crop
and many farmers had turned to peanuts as a cash crop. Cotton
oil mills were converted to produce peanut oil. Livestock could
eat the peanut plant and sharecroppers could feed their families
on crops that weren't sold. It's not overstating matters to say
that
Dr. Carver and the peanut helped save the economy of the
South.
With an insatiable curiosity and keen knowledge of chemistry
and physics, Carver continued his research with the peanut.
By separating the fats, oils, gums, resins and sugars, he went
on to find many uses for the peanut. In fact, he developed more
than 300 new uses for the humble legume. Food products
ranged from peanut lemon punch, chili sauce, caramel, peanut
sausage, mayonnaise and coffee. Cosmetics included face powder,
shampoo, shaving cream and hand lotion. Insecticides, glue,
charcoal, rubber, nitroglycerine, plastics and axle grease
are just a few of the many valuable peanut products discovered
by Dr. Carver.
Dr. Carver's research gained him much worldwide acclaim. Franklin
D. Roosevelt, Henry Ford and Thomas Edison were a few of his
many fans. His humanitarian efforts were well documented and
he received much recognition for his selfless acts to help others.
Dr. George Washington Carver died on January 5, 1943, and is
buried on the campus at Tuskegee. Carver contributed his entire
life savings to establish a research institute at Tuskegee.
Upon his death, Franklin D. Roosevelt sent this message, "All
mankind are the beneficiaries of his discoveries in the field
of agricultural chemistry. The things which he achieved in
the face of early handicaps will for all time afford an inspiring
example to youth everywhere."
Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site, which manages the
George Washington Carver Museum, is a national park. Tuskegee
Institute NHS is the only national park on an active college
campus —- Tuskegee University. The National Park Service is
dedicated to preserving Tuskegee Institute's rich heritage
and the legacy of Dr. George Washington Carver.
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