Although he is largely forgotten today, George Washington Carver deserves a place at the table with the thinkers and doers who led America toward greatness by encouraging them to look to science for answers, to themselves for strength and resolve, and to God for guidance and assurance, according to John Perry in his book George Washington Carver, a brief biography in Thomas Nelson’s Christian Encounters Series.
George was born as a slave in Missouri sometime between 1860 and 1865. When he was a small child, raiders came and stole him away together with his mother. George was recovered, but his mother was not. His owners became his foster parents, George took their surname, and as he grew up he developed an insatiable appetite for learning. Although most educational opportunities were closed to black people, he managed to earn a degree at Iowa State Agricultural College as the only black student, before accepting a position as head of the agriculture department at Tuskegee Institute, which was run by Booker T Washington.
The book goes on to describe Carver’s scientific research, his inventions, the patient kindness and generosity which he showed to his students, his enthusiastic Christian faith, and the chain of events which catapulted him to national prominence, as well as his character flaws and frequent run-ins with the leadership at Tuskegee. His advice on agriculture and crop productivity was eagerly sought both locally and from abroad.
The book is written in a compelling and slightly sentimental style. Much of Carver’s life was devoted towards bettering the plight of black people in the US using a gentle and non-confrontive approach. After reading the book I am left wondering whether he might have been more effective if he had taken a more aggressive approach in addressing racism and unfair discrimination. Nonetheless I agree with the author that Carver deserves a place at the table with America’s key thinkers and doers.
Disclosure: I received a review copy of the book from BookSneeze.
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[…] choosethecross:A compelling story of one of America’s key thinkers and doers Purposes of Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of the book mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” […]
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