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George Washington Carver’s Legacy Continues 80 years After His Passing

KRPS | By Fred Fletcher-Fierro
Published July 6, 2023 at 10:22 AM CDT

The GWC National Monument in Diamond, Missouri is among many spaces created to remember the late scientist. There is also a GWC Museum at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. In 1943, a warship, the SS George Washington Carver was also designated; it was only the second ship to be named after an African American. In 2004, the GWC Bridge was constructed in Des Moines, Iowa.

A celebration of a day, 80 years in the making this weekend in Diamond, MO. KRPS’s Fred Fletcher-Fierro has more.

In 1943, then Missouri Senator Harry Truman supported a grassroots effort to name a national park in honor of George Washington Carver.

The site in Diamond, Missouri would be the first national park to honor an African American. Just one of many ‘firsts’ for Carver who, though born to an enslaved mother, would go on to become a world-renowned scientist, artist, and educator.

George Washington Carver National Monument Park Ranger Curtis Gregory recently appeared on KGCS’s Newsmakers and spoke about the importance of Christianity in Carver’s life.

“Faith is very important in his life. Very, very important in his life, throughout his entire life. He was guided by it, he was guided by faith. And we believe it started on the Carver farm and got stronger when he got to Neosho with a lady by the name of Mariah Watkins, who he lived with when he went to Neosho.”

There are numerous events planned for this weekend including live music, speakers, guides tours, and peanut milk demonstrations.

Carver Day will be held this Saturday, July 8, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The event is open to the public.

For 89 9 KRPS News, I’m Fred Fletcher-Fierro

Missouri news
Fred Fletcher-Fierro
Since 2017 Fred Fletcher-Fierro has driven up Highway 171 through thunderstorms, downpours, snow, and ice storms to host KRPS’s Morning Edition. He’s also a daily reporter for the station, covering city government, elections, public safety, arts, entertainment, culture, sports and more. Fred has also spearheaded and overseen a sea change in programming for KRPS from a legacy classical station to one that airs a balance of classical, news, jazz, and cultural programming that better reflects the diverse audience of the Four States. For over two months in the fall of 2022 he worked remotely with NPR staff to relaunch krps.org to an NPR style news and information website.
See stories by Fred Fletcher-Fierro