
By Jim Gigliotti, Who HQ, Stephen Marchesi (Illustrator)
Part of the Who Was . . . ? series
The life story of George Washington Carver, a renowned American botanist, inventor, and educator.
Born into slavery, George Washington Carver defies the odds, becoming a pioneering botanist and inventor. As the first black student and professor at Iowa State, he transforms agriculture at Tuskegee Institute. His groundbreaking work with peanuts leads to hundreds of new products and recipes, forever changing the landscape of farming. How did Carver's innovations impact the world, and what challenges did he overcome to achieve such remarkable success?
Born in 1860s Missouri, nobody expected George Washington Carver to succeed. Slaves were not allowed to be educated. After the Civil War, Carver enrolled in classes and proved to be a star student. He became the first black student at Iowa State Agricultural College and later its first black professor. He went on to the Tuskegee Institute where he specialized in botany (the study of plants) and developed techniques to grow crops better. His work with vegetables, especially peanuts, made him famous and changed agriculture forever. He went on to develop nearly 100 household products and over 100 recipes using peanuts.
Surprise a reader with their next favorite book.
Spotted a mistake or something missing? Improve this page.
Are you the author or illustrator? Claim your book.
Top contributors: Literary Leslie