George Washington Carver: Scientist and Symbol

"George Washington Carver captured the public imagination and, before his death in 1943, became one of the best-known blacks in the world-the very personification of what was then called "a credit to his race." How and why did Carver become famous for accomplishments which amounted to little more than "doing something" with peanuts, sweet potatoes, and Alabama clay, while his more significant contributions were ignored? Previous biographies of Carver have been an undocumented blend of fiction and fact. This book, firmly grounded in a thorough examination of Carver's personal and professional papers, separates the myths from the realities..."