George Washington Carver: Scientist, Inventor, and Teacher (Signature Lives: Modern America)

From the late 19th century into the 21st century, technological and cultural advancements transformed the world into a new and modern place. These advancements changed the way people lived, worked, and thought about themselves and the world. The combination of all these changes continues to produce what we know as the modern world. Born into slavery in 1864, George Washington Carver was determined to educate himself despite the lack of opportunities for African-Americans. He was a talented painter, but he eventually decided to dedicate his life to the study of plants. Carver rose to prominence at the Tuskegee Institute, where he was a popular teacher and esteemed researcher. Carver is best known for his work with peanuts, inventing more than 300 products from the humble "goober."