George Washington Carver

George Washington Carver was an agricultural scientist and teacher. He was the first Black student at Iowa State, where he pursued his degree in Agriculture. He then taught at Tuskegee University (then Tuskegee Institute), where he helped develop the agricultural program. 

Carver's research and work prioritized the poor farmer. He recognized that these farmers were at the mercy of the market and the land, and he sought to improve these conditions. 

He pioneered ways to replenish the soil after cotton depleted it of its nutrients. Cotton is very hard on the soil that it grows in, using up much of the nutrients and nitrogen and leaving behind exhausted land. Along with other agricultural experts, Carver urged farmers to alternate their crops, switching the cotton crop with other crops such as sweet potatoes and peanuts. 

Perhaps what Carver is most well known for are his bulletins to farmers, which included 105 recipes involving peanuts. His legacy extends to this day, and he remains one of the most prominent historical figures in agricultural.