George Washington Carver Day Celebration
The George Washington Carver Day Celebration is a collaborative effort between Simpson College and Indianola community members. We work together to bring to life the rich history of Simpson College Alumni and past Indianola resident, George Washington Carver.
Join us for our celebration
All events are free and open to the public.
Thursday, January 29
7 p.m. | George Washington Carver Medal Ceremony and Panel | Smith Chapel
Presentation of the George Washington Carver Medal to Nikole Hannah Jones, the Pulitzer Prize winner and influential New York Times journalist whose writing focuses on civil rights, racial equity, and Black American history.
Sunday, February 1
5-6 p.m. | Peanut Beer for Sale | West Hill Brewing Company
Formal toast to the memory of George Washington Carver’s time in Indianola at 5 p.m.
2025-2026 Carver Medal Recipient
Nikole Hannah-Jones
Nikole Hannah-Jones is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist renowned for her groundbreaking reporting on racial injustice, featured in the New York Times Magazine. Creator of The 1619 Project, a landmark initiative that reexamines the legacy of slavery in America and has since expanded into a #1 New York Times best-selling book and a Hulu original six-part docuseries.
Hannah-Jones speaks nationally and internationally on the enduring legacy of the Trans Atlantic slave trade. In 2022, she addressed the United Nations General Assembly during the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
Take the Carver Self-Guided Walking Tour
Explore the places where George Washington Carver lived and studied, along with archives from his time at Simpson, and discover the buildings and halls dedicated to his legacy.
There is no equality without quality education
Education, in the broadest of truest sense, will make an individual seek to help all people, regardless of race, regardless of color, regardless of condition.
George Washington Carver
agricultural scientist, inventor, Simpson alumnus and Indianola resident
2025-26 Planning Committee Members
- Seth Andersen, Simpson College
- Allie Martinez, Simpson College
- Mara Bailey, Simpson College
- Amy Duncan, Indianola Independent Advocate
- Liz Grimsbo, Simpson College
- Elodie Opstad, The Record-Herald and Indianola Tribune
- Tayte Barense, Simpson College
- Amanda Zwanziger, Indianola Chamber of Commerce
