
By Kate Coombs, Seth Lucas (Illustrator)
Part of the Little Naturalists series
Discover how a former slave's son revolutionized agriculture and became 'The Peanut Man.'
Born into slavery, George Washington Carver overcame immense odds to become a pioneering agricultural scientist. Kidnapped as a baby, he was raised by his mother's owners and pursued education relentlessly. At the Tuskegee Institute, he taught and innovated, helping farmers improve their land and livelihoods. Known for his groundbreaking work with peanuts, Carver's legacy inspires young naturalists to explore and protect the earth. How did he transform adversity into a legacy of kindness and adventure?
Introduce your brilliant baby to agricultural scientist, inventor, and environmentalist George Washington Carver.George Washington Carver was born the son of a slave near the end of the Civil War. When he was a baby, he and his mother were kidnapped by raiders. His mother was never found, but he was brought home. His mother’s owners became his foster parents, raising him and his older brother. As he grew, George worked many jobs and tried many schools to learn everything he could, eventually earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agriculture at Iowa State Agricultural College. Then Booker T. Washington asked him to come teach at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, an all-black college. George taught and researched there for many years, also creating educational outreach programs to help poor farmers use the land more productively to both take care of the earth and feed people. He is best known for his work with peanuts.Kate Coombs’ engaging narrative and Seth Lucas’ captivating art teach young readers about this incredible inventor and environmentalist, encouraging little naturalists to Be Kind and Be Adventurous.
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