George Washington Carver was born into slavery and went on to become a brilliant scientist who discovered hundreds of new uses for crops like peanuts and sweet potatoes. He led the agricultural department at the Tuskegee Institute, the school founded by Booker T. Washington, and his work helped farmers grow healthier soil and earn a better living after years of growing only cotton. He refused to patent most of his discoveries, preferring to share them freely, and is remembered as one of America's most inventive agricultural scientists.