Posted by George Washington Carver, otherwise known as the “Peanut Man,” grew up with the mindset that he should learn as much as he could so that he could share his learning with others. So, it’s no suprise that Carver became nationally known as someone who shared his remarkable inventions with America, despite facing racism and other hardships as a Black man living in the 1800s.
In the book George Washington Carver, by Tonya Bolden, the author details Carver’s extraordinary life. I was fascinated to learn about his varied interests and how he so driven to get an education during a time when there were so many obstacles for Black people to go to college.
Carver was born into slavery and became a free person when the Civil War ended. The book doesn’say exactly how old he was, but he was still young. It was intereting to read how he was raised and supported by the white people who had enslaved his family. He called them aunt and uncle.
As he grew older, he became an agricultural scientist and taught people how to save their time and money with genius techniques. He went to college and studied several plant-based subjects in a time many Black people could not. Because of the many products he made with peanuts, like chili sauce and shampoo, he was one of the most dominant Black scientist in that century. What is interesting is that although he made more than 300 products from peanuts, he did not create peanut butter as many people believe.
I liked how this book had a lot of pictures that encompassed Carver’s life. It was like being in the moment that he was and being a part of history.
Three out of four roses!
Elena Reads and Reviews 