George Washington Carver

George Washington Carver, a Black scientist and inventor, is renowned for his groundbreaking work with peanuts. He developed over 300 peanut-based products, including dyes, plastics, and gasoline—though not peanut butter. Born into slavery, Carver cultivated a passion for botany and went on to earn a master’s degree from Iowa State Agricultural College (now Iowa State University). He spent much of his career teaching at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, advocating for farmers, and gaining international recognition as a botanist. He also served as an advisor to President Theodore Roosevelt and Mahatma Gandhi. Carver passed away in 1943 at approximately 78 years old and was the first African American to be honored with a national monument.