Early Life

Carver was born in about 1864 on a farm near Diamond Grove, Missouri. A frail and sickly boy, George developed a talent for drawing as well as a strong interest in plants and animals. At about age 14 George left home to pursue a formal education not available to African Americans in his Southern community. Over the next several years he managed to get some education while working at odd jobs in order to survive.

In his late 20s Carver was able to work himself through high school education in Kansas. Then he attended Simpson College in Iowa, where a teacher persuaded him to pursue a career in agriculture. Carver transferred to Iowa State Agricultural College in Ames, Iowa. He received a bachelor's degree in agricultural science in 1894 and a master's degree in 1896.

New Ideas in Agriculture

Upon his graduation Carver became the director of the new department of agriculture at the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute in Alabama. He would spend the rest of his professional life at Tuskegee conducting the research and experiments that would make him famous.

Carver devoted much of his time to projects aimed at helping to improve Southern agriculture and the economic situation of farmers. At this time agriculture in the Deep South was in serious trouble because of its reliance on cotton. Cotton was hard on the land, leaving the soil of many fields exhausted and worthless. As a remedy, Carver urged Southern farmers to plant peanuts, soybeans, and sweet potatoes instead. These crops helped the soil by providing it with vital nutrients. They also provided the protein so badly needed in the diet of many Southerners.

The problem with these crops was that there was little demand for them on the market. To help make them more profitable, Carver began a long program of laboratory research. He ultimately developed 300 products from peanuts. Among them were new forms of cheese, milk, coffee, flour, ink, dyes, plastics, wood stains, soap, linoleum, medicinal oils, and cosmetics. He also developed 118 products from sweet potatoes. As a result of Carver's work, much of the South's exhausted land eventually was renewed, and the region became a major new supplier of agricultural products.

Praise and Criticism

Carver's efforts won him numerous honors and praise from political leaders such as presidents Calvin Coolidge and Franklin D. Roosevelt. He also earned worldwide fame as foreign governments requested his advice on agricultural matters. Joseph Stalin, for example, invited him in 1931 to tour the Soviet Union and discuss farming methods. Carver refused the dictator's invitation.

Carver also had his critics. He did much of his work privately and often used informal methods. As a result, many scientists were slow to recognize his achievements. In addition, a number of African Americans accused him of being too close to white society at a time when many African Americans were being mistreated. Ultimately, however, Carver's important work helped improve life throughout the South.

Carver died in Tuskegee on January 5, 1943. He was buried on the Tuskegee campus. Ten years later his birthplace was dedicated as a national monument.