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His Early Life

Born a slave on the Diamond Plantation around 1861, George Washington Carver had a rough start in life. His father was killed in a log-rolling accident shortly after he was born and then bandits kidnapped George, who was then an infant, and his mother, Mary, and took them to Arkansas.

George was traded back to his owners for a horse, but his mother was never seen again.

The orphaned child was raised by Moses and Susan Carver, who recognized his intelligence and natural artistic talents. Because he was so frail, he was not made to work, but allowed him to wander the woods and explore and indulge his love of nature.

His Education

He went to the local, predominantly black school in nearby Neosho and stayed with a black family and payed for his room and board by doing chores. After he finished his schooling there, he attempted to further his education by enrolling at Highland Community College, in Highland, Kansas, and was accepted as a student. Later on, Carver was denied access to this University when the college found out Carver was an African American.