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George Washington Carver
1864–1943 · Agricultural Scientist and Botanist
Born into slavery, he became an influential agricultural scientist who promoted crop rotation and new uses for crops like peanuts and sweet potatoes.
“When you can do the common things of life in an uncommon way, you will command the attention of the world.”
Why is this scientist famous?
Promoting crop rotation, soil conservation and practical uses for alternative crops to help Southern farmers improve depleted farmland and diversify beyond cotton.
Carver taught farmers to rotate cotton with crops including peanuts, cowpeas and sweet potatoes, and he experimented with many food and industrial uses for those crops. His work focused especially on helping poor Black farmers and sharecroppers improve soil, nutrition and self-sufficiency.
George's story
From Slavery to Science
George Washington Carver was born enslaved near Diamond Grove, Missouri, around 1864; his exact birth date is unknown. His mother Mary was also enslaved by Moses Carver. While George was an infant, he and his mother were kidnapped during the violence of the Civil War. George was later recovered, but Mary was never found. After slavery ended, Moses and Susan Carver raised George and his brother James. As a child George developed a strong interest in plants and nature.
An Education Hard Won
Carver was denied entry to schools because of his race. At around age 13 he left home to attend a school for Black children in a neighbouring town, supporting himself by doing laundry and cooking. He later applied to Highland University in Kansas and was accepted — but when he arrived and they saw he was Black, they turned him away. He homesteaded a claim, farmed, and continued studying nature on his own until he was finally admitted to Iowa State Agricultural College in 1891, where he became the first Black student and later the first Black faculty member.
Tuskegee and Agriculture
In 1896 Booker T. Washington invited Carver to lead agricultural work at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. Carver taught crop rotation and soil conservation, encouraging farmers to grow crops such as peanuts, cowpeas and sweet potatoes rather than depending only on cotton. He experimented with many food and industrial uses for these crops and published practical agricultural bulletins. Lists associated with his work include hundreds of proposed uses for peanuts and more than one hundred for sweet potatoes, but these were not all patented inventions or commercially adopted products.
National Recognition
Carver became nationally known and in 1921 testified before the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee about peanuts while the peanut industry sought tariff protection. He lived modestly and patented only a few inventions. In 1940 he donated his savings to establish the George Washington Carver Research Foundation at Tuskegee, supporting future agricultural research.
What did they discover?
Crop Rotation and Soil Conservation
Promoted crop rotation and soil-building crops to help farmers improve land depleted by repeated cotton cultivation. He was part of a wider agricultural-extension effort at Tuskegee rather than the inventor of crop rotation.
New Uses for Peanuts
Experimented with and publicised hundreds of proposed food, household and industrial uses for peanuts. Not all were new inventions or commercially adopted products.
New Uses for Sweet Potatoes
Experimented with and publicised more than one hundred proposed uses for sweet potatoes, demonstrating ways farmers could diversify crops and products.
Jesup Agricultural Wagon
In 1906 Carver and Tuskegee colleague Thomas Monroe Campbell initiated the Jesup Agricultural Wagon, a mobile demonstration classroom that brought practical agricultural education to rural communities.
Amazing facts
His exact birth date is unknown; historical sources place his birth around 1864 near the end of the Civil War.
As an infant he and his mother Mary were kidnapped during wartime violence. George was recovered, but Mary was never found.
In 1940 he donated his savings to establish the George Washington Carver Research Foundation at Tuskegee.
He was the first Black student at Iowa State Agricultural College and its first Black faculty member.
In 1921 he spoke before the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee about peanuts while growers were seeking tariff protection.
Two of his paintings were exhibited at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago.
He patented only a few of his inventions and generally preferred to make his practical findings widely available.
The Jesup Agricultural Wagon began in 1906 and brought agricultural demonstrations to rural communities.
Timeline
Enrolled at Simpson College in Iowa to study art and music
Admitted to Iowa State Agricultural College as its first Black student
Earned a bachelor's degree from Iowa State
Earned a master's degree from Iowa State and joined Tuskegee Institute to lead agricultural work
With Thomas Monroe Campbell, initiated the Jesup Agricultural Wagon
Became a member of the Royal Society of Arts in London
Testified before the U.S. Congress on the many uses of the peanut
Died at Tuskegee Institute, Alabama
Born enslaved near Diamond Grove, Missouri; exact date unknown
