Meet George Washington Carver

George Washington loved to study the world around him. He became a teacher and scientist who used plants to help farmers. As you read, look for ways George used curiosity, kindness, and hard work to help others.

A Curious Child

Long ago, a young boy named George lived on a farm in Missouri. His exact birthday is unknown, but he was born during the final years of slavery.

George was often sick and could not do heavy farmwork. Instead, he spent time exploring the woods and caring for plants. He made a small garden where he studied flowers and helped unhealthy plants grow.

George Wants to Learn

George wanted to learn more, but the school near his home did not admit Black children. Although he was still young, George left the farm and traveled to another town where he could attend school. Finding an education was not easy. He moved from place to place and faced unfair treatment because of his race.

Still, George told himself, “I can keep going.” He worked hard and never gave up on his dream of learning. 

An Artist and Scientist

When George grew older, he attended Simpson College in Iowa. He studied art and painted beautiful pictures of flowers.

One of his teachers noticed how carefully George studied plants. She encouraged him to learn about botany, the science of plants.

George discovered that he could combine the two things he loved: nature and learning. 

College Dreams

George continued his education at Iowa State Agricultural College. He became the school’s first Black student.

He studied soil, plants, and farming. In 1894, he earned his bachelor’s degree. He later earned a master’s degree in agricultural science.

George had once cared for a tiny garden. Now he was becoming an expert who could help many gardens and farms.

A Teacher at Tuskegee

In 1896, educator Booker T. Washington invited George to teach at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama.

George packed his belongings and began a new adventure. At Tuskegee, he taught students about farming and studied ways to make tired soil healthy again.

George did not want to keep his knowledge inside a classroom. He wanted to share it with farmers who needed help.

Helping the Soil

Many farmers planted cotton in the same fields year after year. Cotton removed important nutrients from the soil. Soon, the soil became weak, and the plants did not grow well. George encouraged farmers to change, or rotate, their crops. They could plant cotton one year and crops such as peanuts, sweet potatoes, or soybeans another year. These different crops could help the soil while also giving families food to eat and products to sell. 

The Moving Classroom

Some farmers could not travel to Tuskegee, so George and his coworkers brought lessons to them. They used a wagon as a moving classroom. The wagon carried seeds, plants, tools, and farming examples. It traveled through rural communities and showed families new ways to grow food, care for animals, and improve their homes. George believed that useful knowledge should be shared with everyone.

Big Ideas from Small Plants

George experimented with peanuts, sweet potatoes, soybeans, and other crops.

He developed and shared many possible uses for these plants. He wrote easy-to-read farming bulletins that explained how to grow crops and prepare food. One 1917 bulletin taught readers how to grow peanuts and included 105 ways to prepare them for people to eat. George did not invent peanut butter, but his experiments helped people see that the peanut could be used in many helpful ways.