The renowned agricultural scientist who earned his degrees — and broke barriers — at Iowa State in Ames.
Born into slavery in Missouri around 1864, George Washington Carver came to Iowa for his education. At Iowa State College in Ames he earned a bachelor's degree in 1894 and a master's in 1896, becoming the school's first Black student — and then its first Black faculty member.
His Iowa training in botany and agriculture launched a career at Tuskegee that made him one of the most famous scientists in America, celebrated for his work on soil, crops, and the peanut.
Carver's Iowa years shaped a scientist whose name became synonymous with agricultural innovation and Black achievement. Iowa State honors him with buildings, a statue, and scholarships in his name.
His formative chapter belongs to Iowa.
The renowned agricultural scientist who earned his degrees — and broke barriers — at Iowa State in Ames.
George Washington Carver was from Ames, Iowa.
c.1864–1943.
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Portrait: Wikimedia Commons (public domain or freely licensed).