George Washington Carver By: Mason Shoalmire

Early Life He was born around 1864 to enslaved parents near Diamond, Missouri. He was born to a slave owner named Mosses Carver. He was kidnaped with his sister and his mother a week after his birth, by raiders from Arkansas and were later sold in Kentucky. Out of his family only he was located by an agent of Mosses and returned. A year later at the end of the civil war slavery became illegal Susan Carver, Mosses carvers wife, taught George to read and wright since no schools accepted black students. As a young man he attended a school for African Americans, after this he attended a number of schools until he eventually earned his diploma Minneapolis High School. After this he tried to apply for college but was denied after they learned of his race. This did not stop him he continued to expand his knowledge through conducting his own experiments.

Inventions and Mid Life He was most famous for his discoveries with the peanuts which included dyes, plastics, paint, and types of gasoline. He also worked extensively with sweet potatoes, soy beans and pecans. Both Roosevelt and Gandhi sought his advice in agricultural matters. In 1916 he was made a member of the British Royal Society of Arts something that rarely happened to Americans. A good deal of his life was spent informing people about his research. Because his sheer talent he was invited to oversee the agricultural programs by Booker T. Washington the principal of the African American Tuskegee Institute. Booker lured Carver by offering him two rooms and a large salary.

End of Life He died January 5, 1943, at the age of 78. The cause of death was falling down stairs. He helped desegregate learning centers through out America. Truman even planned to dedicate a monument to him, which Roosevelt but into place. He has also been honored by being on postage stamps. He certainly had a large legacy and a memorable death.