3/16/2022 | Marina Montez-Ellis, Garden Program Specialist

George Washington Carver was born in Diamond, Missouri in 1864 just before the end of the Civil War. Despite tremendous odds he earned his high school diploma and eventually two degrees in botany. In 1896 Booker T. Washington hired Carver to run the Agricultural Department at the Tuskegee Institute.

As an agricultural scientist, inventor and artist he improved farming methods and introduced new food products. Carver developed the idea of crop rotation encouraging southern farmers, many of who were former slaves, to plant soybeans and peanuts to restore nitrogen in the soil. He developed over 300 products from peanuts and over 100 products from sweet potatoes.

Carver's reputation as a leader in agricultural innovation and artistry was noticed by Mahatma Gandhi, Theodore Roosevelt and the British Royal Society of Arts. George Washington Carver is a true inspiration to those who wish to serve, educate and reform the world for the better.

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