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|  | GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER (1864-1943) Birthplace: Diamond Grove, Missouri SCIENTIST |
George Washington Carver was the person most responsible for the economic survival of the southern portion of the United States. When the boil weevil threatened to eliminate the major cash crop of the South-cotton-in 1914. Dr. Carver went to work in his laboratory at Tuskegee Institute. There he developed numerous products and processes that expanded the range of agriculture in the South. From the peanut, formerly of little use, Carver developed hundreds of products, including plastics, synthetic rubber, shaving cream, and paper. He used the soybean to provide breakfast food, flour, and milk. The sweet potato yielded over a hundred useful products.
Carver's achievements sprang from very humble beginnings. By the age of thirteen, he was on his own in life. He had to work his way through Simpson and Iowa State colleges. He joined Tuskegee Institute in 1896 and declined many offers of other jobs in order to be able to make a contribution to his people and to the South that he loved.
During his life, Carver received numerous awards honoring his achievements. In 1916, he was named a Fellow of the Royal Society of London, England. He was awarded the Spingarn Medal in 1923. Carver, who was also an artist, won an award for his paintings at the Columbian Exhibition in Chicago in 1893.
A dedicated man throughout his life, Dr. Carver willed his entire estate to the Tuskegee Institute to establish the George Washington Carver Foundation. The purpose of the foundation was to support the work of scientists who were attempting to discover uses for agricultural wastes and to develop food products from common crops. FLASH-FACTS Developed thousands of useful products from the peanut, the soybean, and the sweet potato. Was named a Fellow of the Royal Society of London. Donated his entire estate to enable his research to continue. Related Links: | |
