University of St. Thomas Athletics
Celebrating Black History Month: George Washington Carver
2/16/2021 6:32:00 PM | Athletics
As we celebrate Black History Month throughout the month of February, we not only look back at members of the St. Thomas community who inspire us, but also those outside of St. Thomas who inspire our entrepreneurial and innovative spirit. This week, we are inspired by George Washington Carver, a man who broke barriers in more ways than one.
Born during the American Civil War era, Carver pursued an education at the age of 11, ten years after slavery was abolished in the United States. He went on to graduate from Minneapolis High School in Minneapolis, Kansas in 1880 and applied for secondary education. After being turned away from colleges in Kansas, Carver made his way to Iowa, where he attended Simpson College and later Iowa State Agricultural School (now Iowa State University).
In 1894, Carver became the first black man to earn a Bachelor of Science degree after studying botany. He went on to earn a Master of Agriculture degree in 1896 and began teaching at the newly-formed agricultural school at the Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University) in Alabama.
While teaching, Carver spent ample time researching and finding ways to help local farmers. Through his work, crop rotation became a valuable practice for farmers. He also learned that the main crop of the time, cotton, had depleted nutrients from the soil. Carver found that growing plants like peanuts, soybeans, and sweet potatoes restored nutrients to the soil and ultimately increased cotton yields.
With this discovery came an abundance of the three crops, so Carver began finding innovative ways to use them. From sweet potatoes came inventions like flour, vinegar, stains, dyes, paints, and ink. But the largest vehicle proved to be peanuts. Carver went on to develop more than 300 products from the crop, including things like cooking and salad oils, paper, cosmetics, soaps, wood stains, even medicines.
After making such a profound impact in the agriculture industry, Carver remained focused on helping people. This time, he turned to civilian pursuits. He spent years traveling the south promoting racial harmony, working on a treatment for polio, and even traveling to India to discuss nutrition in developing countries with Mahatma Gandhi.
Soon after his death in 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed legislation for Carver to receive his own monument in Diamond, Missouri. At the time, this was an honor only bestowed upon a pair of U.S. Presidents: George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.
Carver's innovative mind gave him the courage to pursue higher education, while his entrepreneurial spirit led him to create products that are prevalent in homes and businesses around the world today. His legacy lives on and inspires us all.
Born during the American Civil War era, Carver pursued an education at the age of 11, ten years after slavery was abolished in the United States. He went on to graduate from Minneapolis High School in Minneapolis, Kansas in 1880 and applied for secondary education. After being turned away from colleges in Kansas, Carver made his way to Iowa, where he attended Simpson College and later Iowa State Agricultural School (now Iowa State University).
In 1894, Carver became the first black man to earn a Bachelor of Science degree after studying botany. He went on to earn a Master of Agriculture degree in 1896 and began teaching at the newly-formed agricultural school at the Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University) in Alabama.
While teaching, Carver spent ample time researching and finding ways to help local farmers. Through his work, crop rotation became a valuable practice for farmers. He also learned that the main crop of the time, cotton, had depleted nutrients from the soil. Carver found that growing plants like peanuts, soybeans, and sweet potatoes restored nutrients to the soil and ultimately increased cotton yields.
With this discovery came an abundance of the three crops, so Carver began finding innovative ways to use them. From sweet potatoes came inventions like flour, vinegar, stains, dyes, paints, and ink. But the largest vehicle proved to be peanuts. Carver went on to develop more than 300 products from the crop, including things like cooking and salad oils, paper, cosmetics, soaps, wood stains, even medicines.
After making such a profound impact in the agriculture industry, Carver remained focused on helping people. This time, he turned to civilian pursuits. He spent years traveling the south promoting racial harmony, working on a treatment for polio, and even traveling to India to discuss nutrition in developing countries with Mahatma Gandhi.
Soon after his death in 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed legislation for Carver to receive his own monument in Diamond, Missouri. At the time, this was an honor only bestowed upon a pair of U.S. Presidents: George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.
Carver's innovative mind gave him the courage to pursue higher education, while his entrepreneurial spirit led him to create products that are prevalent in homes and businesses around the world today. His legacy lives on and inspires us all.
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