Film an oral history of Dr. Carver

Diamond, Mo. — Ever wonder what it would be like to hear from someone who knew or worked or studied under George Washington Carver?

Well, at 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, you will get that chance. George Washington Carver National Monument will host a 30-minute film called, “A Genius Remembered, George Washington Carver.” The event is free and open to the public.

“The film was produced a couple of years ago by Tuskegee University in Alabama,” GWC National Monument Park Ranger Curtis Gregory said. “It was an oral history project. That they did a documentary on individuals that were still living at the time that had an actual connection who knew George Washington Carver. The film is like oral history, it is almost done like a documentary and it is these people at Tuskegee University, who were either students or a little younger, that actually knew George Washington Carver. And basically what they are doing is telling their remembrances of George Washington Carver in this documentary, which is quite good.”

The film explores the life of Carver.

George was born a slave on the Moses and Susan Carver farm about 1864. When George was an infant, outlaws kidnapped him and his mother, Mary. George was later found in Arkansas and was returned to the Carvers, but his mother was never found.

Carver became famous later in life when he studied plants, flowers and invented several uses for the common peanut. He later taught at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, and in 1921, he gave a captivating testimony before a United States Congress House Committee debating a peanut tariff bill. On Jan. 5, 1943, Carver died at Tuskegee, where he is buried. In July 1943, Congress designated George Washington Carver National Monument, which was the first park to honor an African-American scientist, educator and humanitarian.

As a park ranger, Gregory finds the film very educational.

“There are several books that have been written on Carver, and those secondary resources are wonderful,” he said. “But sometimes when you have these primary sources, and I feel that sometimes these oral histories and documentaries of individuals that actually knew him, they just add so much more to the story. And sometimes you can take, some of the information that they are presenting and you can take that, research and learn more about Carver’s life.”

As a visitor, Gregory added, “I think visitors that will watch the film or have watched the film, have taken away a better understanding of George Washington Carver. Especially his years on Tuskegee and what he was trying to accomplish, what he was trying to teach to students so that they could go out in the world and teach others. I think that they would be definitely enlightened by it.”

For more information, call GWC National Monument at 325-4151.

Administered by the National Park Service, an agency of the Department of the Interior, George Washington Carver National Monument preserves the birthplace and childhood home of George Washington Carver, scientist, educator, and humanitarian. The monument is located two miles west of Diamond on Route V, then ¼ mile south on Carver Road.
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