Today is Tuesday, March 1st, 2016; Karen's Korner #3257

Words like 'bullying', 'racism', 'diversity', 'sexism' are heard often in our world today.

Decades ago, one young black man impacted his world and ours with or without bantering those terms around.

Iowans are proud to have had George Washington Carver (1864 - 1943) study some at both Iowa State University and Simpson College.

Here is an entry in Dr. Richard G. Lee's "In God We Still Trust":


"George Washington Carver was a fabulous chemist of international fame in the field of agriculture. Much of his fame was based on his research and promotion of alternative crops to soil-depleting cotton, such as the peanut, soybean, pecan, and sweet potato. He wanted poor farmers to grow alternative crops as both a source of their own food as well as a source of other products to improve their quality of life.

"In 1921, Carver spoke in favor of a peanut tariff before the Ways and Means Committee of the United States House of Representatives. At the time, it was unusual for a black person to be called as an expert. He also detailed the potential uses of the peanut and other new crops to improve the economy of the South. At the end of his address, the Chairman of the Committee asked:

"'Dr. Carver, how did you learn all of these things?'

"Carver answered, 'From an old book.'

"'What book?'

"Carver replied, 'The Bible.'

"The Senator inquired, 'Does the Bible tell about peanuts?'

"'No, sir,' Dr. Carver replied, 'but it tells about the God who made the peanut. I asked Him to show me what to do with the peanut, and He did.'"

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