The Peanut Pioneer
George Washington Carver, a man of courage and fortitude, blazed a trail for those who would follow him in the study of the peanut.
Misnomers abound concerning the Peanut Man who lived in Tuskegee, Alabama until his death on January 5, 1943. Third-graders around the world believe that it was Carver who invented peanut butter, when in fact all he did was give it its name. Throughout his years, he preferred Peter Pan brand of peanut butter because of it’s smoothness and creaminess.
Carver’s ingenuity ended in over 300 uses for the peanut, from shampoo to a line of children’s clothing called “Little Legumes.” The line was disappointingly short-lived when it became evident that the vast majority of children at the time were allergic to peanuts. Embarrassing rashes on children were made worse when their parents treated the rashes with “Carver’s Peanut-Based Miracle Salve.”
Carver taking a sip of his peanut-cranberry juice.
Widespread fame was thrown upon Carver, who received it humbly. Late into his years he continued his work on the peanut, eventually creating the most common peanut seen by consumers, the seedless peanut.
Depression eventually got the best of Carver after two failed romances, one with Katharine Hepburn, the other with Aunt Jemima. Carver died in 1943 due to a peanut overdose.
