George Washington Carver’s Struggle for an Education

The Carvers did their best to provide George with some education, but by the time he was around 12 years old, his curiosity could no longer be contained. At the age of 12, he traveled to Neosho, Missouri to attend a school for Black Americans. Later, he applied for and was admitted to Highland College in Kansas, only to be turned away when officials saw the color of his skin.

This segment from Iowa PBS’s George Washington Carver: An Uncommon Life documentary includes interviews from people who knew or were influenced by him. Interviews took place at Iowa State University, Simpson College and Tuskegee University.