George Washington Carver
Agricultural scientist and inventor who promoted alternative crops and soil conservation.
George Washington Carver (c. 1864 – January 5, 1943) was an American agricultural scientist and inventor who promoted alternative crops to cotton and methods to prevent soil depletion. He was one of the most prominent Black scientists of the early 20th century. Born into slavery in Missouri before the end of the Civil War, Carver was kidnapped as an infant along with his mother and sister, though he was later recovered and raised by his former enslaver and his wife, who encouraged his education. Denied entry to local white schools, he sought out a school for Black children ten miles away, where a woman named Mariah Watkins impressed upon him the importance of learning and then sharing that knowledge with others. After witnessing a racial killing, he moved between several schools before earning a high school diploma. He was initially denied admission to one college due to his race, and later homesteaded a plot of land in Kansas, where he cultivated crops and plants. Carver eventually studied art and piano at Simpson College before his art teacher encouraged him to pursue botany at Iowa State Agricultural College, where he became the first Black student. He earned both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree there, conducting research in plant pathology and mycology that brought him early national recognition. As a professor at Tuskegee Institute, Carver developed techniques to improve soils depleted by repeated cotton planting. He urged poor farmers to grow peanuts and sweet potatoes as food sources and to improve their quality of life, choosing these crops based on local soil conditions. Under his leadership, the Tuskegee Experiment Station published over forty practical bulletins, many written by Carver, offering advice on combating soil depletion with limited funds, producing larger crops, and preserving food. He also became a leader in promoting environmentalism. His fame extended beyond the Black community, earning honors such as the NAACP’s Spingarn Medal, and in 1941, Time magazine called him a "Black Leonardo."
- born
- c. 1864, Diamond Grove, Missouri (enslaved, exact date unknown)
- died
- January 5, 1943
- field
- Agricultural science, botany, invention
- nationality
- American
- known_for
- Promoting alternative crops (peanuts, sweet potatoes), soil conservation, and practical bulletins for farmers
Lore & Background
Carver was born into slavery in Diamond Grove, Missouri, sometime in the early 1860s; his exact birth date is uncertain. His enslaver, Moses Carver, purchased his parents in 1855. After slavery was abolished, Moses and his wife Susan raised George and his brother James. Carver's middle initial 'W' was chosen at random to avoid mail confusion; when asked if it stood for Washington, he replied 'Why not?' but he never used Washington as his middle name, signing as George W. Carver or simply George Carver. He earned a bachelor's and master's degree from Iowa State Agricultural College, where he was the first Black student and later the first Black faculty member. He never received an official doctorate, though he was given honorary doctorates. In 1941, Time magazine called Carver a 'Black Leonardo'.
Reader's Guide
Carver’s work at Tuskegee Institute centered on improving the lives of poor farmers by addressing the severe soil depletion caused by repeated cotton planting. He developed techniques to restore exhausted soils and promoted alternative crops, particularly peanuts and sweet potatoes, which were suited to local conditions and could provide food and income. Under his leadership, the Tuskegee Experiment Station issued over forty practical bulletins, many written by Carver, that offered farmers recipes, advice on combating soil depletion with limited funds, methods for producing larger crops, and guidance on preserving food. Beyond agriculture, Carver was a prominent advocate for environmentalism. His fame extended across racial lines in a deeply segregated era; he was widely praised by white communities and received the Spingarn Medal from the NAACP. In 1941, *Time* magazine called him a “Black Leonardo.” Carver’s early life included being born into slavery in Missouri around 1864, kidnapped as an infant with his mother and sister, and later raised by his former enslaver’s family. He pursued education against great odds, becoming the first Black student at Iowa State Agricultural College and later the first Black faculty member there, earning a master’s degree in 1896. Although often called “doctor,” he never received an official doctorate.
Did You Know?
- Carver's middle initial 'W' was chosen at random to avoid confusion with another George Carver; he never used Washington as his middle name.
- Time magazine in 1941 called Carver a 'Black Leonardo', but the phrase 'black Leonardo' had been used earlier, such as in a 1916 article in The Survey.
- Carver never earned an official doctorate, but received honorary doctorates from Simpson College and Selma University, and a posthumous degree from Iowa State in 1994.
- He was kidnapped as an infant with his mother and sister, but only he was found and returned to his enslaver's family.
Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)
"George Washington Carver (12 July 1864 – 5 January 1943) was an African-American botanist who worked in agricultural extension in the southern United States." — George Washington Carver "I love to think of nature as unlimited broadcasting stations, through which God speaks to us every day, every hour and every moment of our lives, if we will only tune in and remain so." — George Washington Carver "I know that my Redeemer lives. Thank God I love humanity, complexion doesn't interest me one single a bit." — George Washington Carver "When our thoughts — which bring actions — are filled with hate against anyone, Negro or white, we are in a living hell. That is as real as hell will ever be." — George Washington Carver
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