George Washington Carver

George Washington Carver had a timeless message for humanity. Yet he became famous not for his great wisdom, nor for his brilliance as an educator, but for transforming peanuts into products such as ink, paper, soap, glue, dyes, massage oil, milk, cosmetics, and more. It is not so much his specific achievements as the humane philosophy behind them that define the man. "It is not the style of clothes one wears, neither the kind of automobile one drives, nor the amount of money one has in the bank, that counts. These mean nothing. It is simply service that measures success;' Carver was motivated by his love for all of creation. For him, every life-a tiny fungus in healthy soil, the ever-present flower on his lapel, a forest bird, a human being of any complexion or nationality-was a window on God and a mouthpiece through which the Great Creator spoke. He saw all living things as interrelated. His vision brought forth his teachings: A successful life is one of service through helping others; real education helps us understand life, bringing us the kind of happiness that inspires us to help humanity; true religion is expressed in love and kindness toward all life; science worthy of its name is truth, which sets us free. Every facet of Carver's life and his teaching, including his peanut work, can be traced inward to reveal a genius whose source is the deep creative fountain of the inner spirit. Let George Washington Carver National Monument introduce you to this humble man whose love of God and agriculture became a ministry to benefit humanity. Texts by Peter Duncan Burchard (Cover) Carver about age 38, Tuskegee; 1925 Agricultural Bulletin 31; Carver's micro scope, palette, paint bru~i.. Peanut Flowers appear above ground among the !aves. As the blooms (Left and middle) Carver about age 77; he called his laboratory "God's little workshop." mature pegs (stems) form and grow down 1to the soil, where eanut pods develop. Carlier discovered more than 300 uses (Near left) Carver loved art. A painting he exhibited at the 1893 Chicago Worlds Fair received honorable mention. g ~ plants have an unusual growth cycle. for peanuts. In the 1930s he treated polio patients with massage therapy and peanut rubbing oil. (Below) .Teaching at Tuske- gee Institute. PEANUT PLANT, TIfACTS, NPS MUSEUM SEWARD INSTTTUTE. PHOTOS, Lifelong Service to Humanity GeorgeWashington Carver masHeearneda Bachelorof Agricultered chemistry, botany, mycology (study of fungi), music, herbalism, art, cooking, and massage. But his life began in slavery about 1864 in Diamond Grove, Mo. Young George longed for an education to help him understand nature's mysteries, but schooling was denied him. At about age 11 he left home to seek answers on his own. His quest led him through poverty, prejudice, violence, and injustice. ~ Eventually finding himself rejected ~ from college due to his race, he ~ tried his hand at homesteading How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of the weak and the strong. Because someday in life you will have been all of these. George Washington Carver " in Kansas. Finally, in 1890 he was accepted as an art major at Simpson College in Iowa, where he was the only African American. Within a year, his desire of preparing to serve his people forced a painful decision to leave art. Carver transferred to Iowa State Agricultural College (today's IowaState University) to pursue agriculture. "The more my ideas develop, the more beautiful and grand seems the plan I have laid out to pursue, or rather the one God has destined for me. It is really alii see in a successful life." fARMS. MGT. VA.; AR- TUSKEGEE NPS ture degree in 1894 and a Masters of Agriculture degree in 1896. That year Carver accepted an offer from Booker 1. Washington to on crops, cultivation techniques, and recipes for nutritious meals. Several of the 43 bulletins were distributed throughout the world. head the new Agriculture Department at Tuskegee Institute, Ala. Carver came to public attention The post answered Carver's dream "to be the greatest good to the greatest number of my people." At that renowned school for African Americans, Carver became a beacon to students who were inspired by his ability to overcome so many obstacles. His peanut work, beginning around 1903, was aimed at freeing African American farmers and the South from the tyranny of king cotton. With innovative farming methods, he convinced Southern farmers to grow such soil-enriching crops as soybeans and peanuts, in addition to cotton. At the heart of his vision for an economically rejuvenated South was his teaching that nature produced no waste. Embracing a messageof hope "to help the man farthest down," Carver produced a series of free Agricultural Bulletins (see Bulletin 31, far left) that provided information in 1921 with his captivating testimony before a U.S. Congress House committee debating a peanut tariff bill. Two years later he converted young Southern whites at a YMCA retreat into near disciples. They arranged speaking tours for him to colleges where no African American had ever been welcome. Carver became a symbol of interracial understanding. His work and encyclopedic knowledge of plant properties impressed Thomas Edison and Henry Ford, who sought information from him on industrial uses of plants, including peanuts and soybeans. Carver died at Tuskegee on January 5, 1943. That July, Congress designated George Washington Carver National Monument, the first park to honor an African American scientist, educator, and humanitarian. All Started Here As a very small boy exploring the almost virgin woods of the old Carver place I had the impression someone had just been there ahead of me. . . . I was practically overwhelmed with the sense of some Great Presence. . . . I knew even then it was the Great Spirit of the universe. . . . Never since have I been without this consciousness of the Creator speaking to me through flowers, rocks, animals, plants an"d all other aspects of His creations. George Washington Carver - ---- luring the Civil War, guerrilla warfare intensified along the Mis. ri-Kansas border. Born a slave on the Moses and Susan Carver IJ1about 1864, George Washington Carver was caught up in the moil. When George was an infant outlaws kidnapped him and .s mother Mary. George was located in Arkansas and returned the Carvers, orphaned and nearly dead from whooping cough. is mother was never found. He never knew the identity of his -father, although George believed he was a slave on a nearby farm. George's frail health freed him from many daily chores, giving him time to explore. "Day after day I spent in the woods alone in order to collect my floral beauties and put them in my little garden I had hidden in brush;' The flowers thrived under his care, and George acquired the nickname "The Plant Doctor" in his community. George left the farm about 1875. He never again lived with the Carvers, but many of his values were shaped during his years on the farm. His life work was rooted in his ability to retain the child's wonder of nature. ;f~cv Y PbdY (f!Cue~cu,.-~...; #a",,,,Cff ~~ .IIf~rl ~ ~ LU-&dA# ~ ~d~ ;:WC?za-<u.-"a ~uu 'S. '7::: t24-"""'-.?~~ ?!ilk ~ ~a-' ~./ .£V_~~ au-~ ~";'.aJ d'.A~d..,'a. &~ ~ u-u.~ 77 CV ~p-- ;(".u.,a ~ 7 #?ti7;tk~ 4>{1~ /#.;1'~~A ~ ~ a~~ .6:.ah ~~ ~ f'~ ~'Ur';;r/{, c4';;~#i~'~0 /w,JfJadv.ft Bill of Sale $700, 1855. Mary, 13-year-old Negro. (George Carver's mother) The Boy Carver statue, sculpted in 1960 by Robert Amendola, rests in a natural area much like the one George loved to explore (far left). George Washington National Monument , 10 Kilometers North of more than 380 parks in the National Park System. The National Park Service <D cares for special places saved by the American people so that all may experience our heritage. www.nps.gov Williams Pond, built in the 1930s, is named for Sarah Jane Williams, Moses Carver's niece, whose family lived on ~ For More Information George Washington Carver National Monument 5646 Carver Road Diamond, MO 64840 417-325-4151 Carver's farm (middle). g The Carvers built this E' house in 1881.George ~ did not live here, but he ~ visited occasionally Carver is one www.nps.gov/gwca (left). Planning Your Visit Carver Discovery Center The Carver Discovery Center has information, a museum, interactive exhibits about history and science, classrooms for programs on Carver's life, an observation deck, a film, and a sales area with publications about Carver and his work. Park staff can help you plan your visit. The park and Carver Discovery Center are open daily, except Thanksgiving, December 25, and January 1. Carver Trail This one-mile, selfguiding loop trail leads you into woodlands, across streams, and along a tallgrass prairie restoration area. You can see the Boy Carver statue, walk around Williams Pond and read the meditative plaques, see the 1881 Moses Carver house, and visit the graves of Moses and Susan Carver. (George Washington Carver is buried at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama.) Safety Tips and Regulations For a safe and enjoyable visit be alert and observe these regulations. Stay on established trails. Watch your footing around the streams and pond. Do not drink the water. Swimming, wading, and fishing are not allowed. Be alert for poison ivy, ticks, and stinging insects. Do not climb on fences or cemetery . headstones. CarverDiscoveryCenter to Diamond 2.6mi 4km via[j[] east . . . . Pets must RESTORATION AREA . be on a leash at all times. Do not damage or remove any plants, wildlife, or historical features-all are protected by federal law. Emergencies: call 911. ., '" '= u contact a ranger or PRAIRIE RESTORATION AREA Please leave prairie in its natural state. Do not pick wildflowers. Accessibility The Carver Discovery Center and restrooms are accessible for visitors with wheelchairs. Ask about accessibility on the Carver Trail. 100 Meters . ~ Parking BTrail Try your skills at the Discovery Center. North <D *GPO,2oo6-320-3691OO58O P",,,,,, "cyc',' p'pee. R",ri" 2006