Opinion: George Washington Carver’s life is an inspiration for all Iowans
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While often lauded for his development of more than 300 food and commercial products from peanuts, George Washington Carver’s commitment to education is what still inspires me today and I hope will inspire others as the state marks the inaugural George Washington Carver Day on Feb. 1.
Carver was a scientist and inventor who was born into slavery in Missouri sometime in the mid-1860s. Like many Americans, I learned in elementary school about the significant contributions Carver made in the field of agriculture. His research helped improve farmers’ crop yields by developing new farming techniques, such as crop rotation, and developing new varieties of sweet potatoes and peanuts.
Carver studied at both Simpson College and Iowa Agricultural College and Model Farm (now Iowa State University). He was Iowa State’s first Black student, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in 1894 and a Master of Science degree in 1896. After receiving his master’s degree, he became the first Black faculty member at Iowa State before Booker T. Washington invited him to head the Agriculture Department at the Tuskegee Institute in 1896, where he worked until his death in 1943.
In law school, I learned more about Carver’s legacy. Carver believed in the power of education to help individuals overcome any obstacle. He once said, “Education is the key to unlock the golden door of freedom.” As an educator, Carver believed that he should be accessible to students both in and outside the classroom. A number of Carver’s students, many of whom were poor and suffered from racial discrimination, looked to him for guidance not just in agriculture, but in life as well.
Carver, and the fame and stature he attained, served as a model for the nation before the birth of the modern civil rights movement. Some have said Carver is a symbol of America as a land of opportunity for everyone. For me, he also is an example of what I aspire to be as an educator and leader.
His diverse scientific accomplishments and passion for education inspired me to pursue a Ph.D. and become an accounting professor to help create new knowledge and encourage and develop new business professionals. Carver also inspired me to be a leader in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion. As president of the Iowa State University Faculty Senate, I’ve made it a priority to diversify the Senate’s membership and to encourage faculty members from underrepresented groups to become faculty leaders.
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It is only fitting that George Washington Carver be among those with a day of recognition designated by the state of Iowa. Only two others — Herbert Hoover and Norman Borlaug — have received this honor.
On Feb. 1, Iowa State University will celebrate George Washington Carver and his connections to the state of Iowa — and ultimately to the nation and world. It will be a day to honor, reflect and I hope, an opportunity for others to find inspiration through Carver’s life and work. I encourage all Iowans to learn more about this outstanding American and use his legacy as a way to improve our communities, state and world.
Jon Perkins is an associate professor of accounting in the Ivy College of Business and president of the faculty senate at Iowa State University.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Opinion: Seize the opportunity to learn about and celebrate Carver
