George Washington Carver National Monument Established
On July 14, 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt committed $30,000 toward a monument to botanist and inventor George Washington Carver. Though it would not be completed for a decade, it was the first national monument to honor an African American and non-president.
Born during the Civil War, Carver’s parents were slaves working for the Carver family in Missouri. When his parents died, the Carvers raised him as their own child. Carver was bright and went on to earn a Master’s in agriculture. He discovered new ways to plant seeds that would improve fertility of the soil. He also found new ways to use certain crops. Carver became known as the “Peanut Man” for his work with the plant, creating more than 300 different products from it.
The 210-acre George Washington Carver National Monument opened in July 1953. The grounds include his boyhood home and a nature trail, cemetery, and museum.
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