George Washington Carver was an African American who was born into slavery. At the end of the civil war, he got his freedom although however he still lived in his former boss’s house since he was an orphan. He educated himself by doing odd jobs and later earned a Master’s degree in horticulture. At that time, there were still instances of racism and he had to travel to other cities where he would be accepted because of his race. While working at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, he came up with inventions in agriculture that had a huge impact in the country (TIME, 1941). He specialized on the uses of sweet potatoes, soy beans and peanuts.
The Inventions of George Washington Carver.
In the South, farmers were trying to farm cotton however it was turning out to be quite unsuccessful. The soil was worn out by consistent farming of cash crops which stripped away the nutrients in the soil. There was a lot of soil erosion and there were deep gulley in the earth. George came up with a system of crop rotation where the people would alternate the growth of cash crops with legumes and peanuts. The legumes and peanuts helped the soil in capturing the nitrogen in the air and trapping it into the soil.
He came up with many different uses of the legumes to encourage the farmers to grow the legumes (McMurry, 1982). George discovered over 300 ways that the farmers could use the peanuts. The people could use the peanuts in dyes, oils, cereals, soaps and other items. When the Boll weevil attacked the cotton plants in 1892, the farmers began to listen to
George’s suggestions on the high benefits of growing legumes and peanuts. The peanut became a highly successful product in the region with the area boasting a $250 Million industry in 1940. Currently, the area’s peanut industry is worth $3 Billion.
In 1921, while making a presentation to the Ways and Means Committee of the United States House of Representatives, he spoke of the different uses of the peanuts (Mackintosh, 2010). At that time he had been invited to the meeting to speak to the congress on behalf of the farmers. The farmers were requesting for a tariff on their peanuts. His presentation was such a success that the members kept extending the time for his presentation. Finally, the Fordney-McCumber Tariff of 1922 was passed on imported peanuts.
The farmers had been facing great competition in the region from China which was bringing peanuts into the region at low prices. George carter was also interested in the sweet potatoes and the soy beans. During the presentation, he also dedicated some time to speak on the different uses of the sweet potato. Sweet potatoes could be used in vinegar, molasses, postage stamp glue, rubber and even ink. He encouraged the farmers to also invest in the growth of the sweet potatoes since they also performed consistently well. They were also a cheap source of nutrition.
In his 1936 Bulletin, Carver laid out recipes and instructions on the preparation of foods such as sweet potato starch, donuts and croquettes. He was committed to progress in agriculture. When he was in his seventies, he established a museum to display his works and a foundation that was dedicated to assist farmers in their endeavours.
The museum in its archives lists the 14 wood fillers, over 70 dyes and five library pastes that he developed in his lifetime. Apart from crops, he was also interested in the soil or the earth. He was particularly interested in the rich clay in the region. He experimented with the clay and extracted pigments that he used to make natural paints that were inexpensive. He encouraged the farmers to use the paints to beautify their houses. From these clay pigments, he also came up with other products such as wood stains, face powder and ceramics. He was also interested in the soy beans which he proposed their use in various products such as non-dairy cheeses, baking powders and a collection of foods that could use the soy bean ingredient.
Legacy and Fame
George Washington Carver left a great legacy in the country that will be remembered in years to come. In his later years, he travelled throughout the country promoting the uses of the peanuts, legumes and native clay products. He wrote a lot on his inventions. He published six bulletins and contributed a column in a newspaper which he called “Professor Carver’s Advice”.
Businessmen sought him on advice and there were several biographies and articles written on his life and achievements. He chose not to patent most of his innovations as he believed the innovations are meant for use by everybody. He patented three inventions only namely in cosmetics, paints and stains (Abrams, 2008). These patents were awarded to him in the period 1925 to 1927. His life shows a person who went against all odds to be the inventor, researcher and teacher that he wanted to be.
Abrams, D. (2008) George Washington Carver: Scientist and Educator. Chelsea
House Publications.
Mackintosh, B. (2010) George Washington Carver and the Peanut. American
Heritage Magazine. Retrieved from: http://www.americanheritage.com/content/george-washington-carver-and-peanut
McMurry, L.(1982) George Washington Carver, Scientist and Symbol. Oxford
TIME (1941) Art: Black Leonardo. Retrieved from:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,801330,00.html
