Iowa Public Television to Air Documentary About George Washington Carver

Members of the Simpson community know the story of George Washington Carver – how he was accepted for admission to Simpson after being rejected by another college because of his race.

But Iowa Public Television believes there’s much else to know, and they’ll be airing the documentary, “George Washington Carver: An Uncommon Life” to tell it.

The program will air at 8 p.m. on Monday, April 30, and again at 1 p.m. on Sunday, May 6.

“Carver was a complex man who had many gifts, a Renaissance man,” Iowa Public Television said in a news release. “He was a scientist, teacher, humanitarian, environmentalist and an artist. He was a spiritual man, and a man of quiet perseverance. Born a slave, Carver defied the odds.”

“George Washington Carver is an inspiration,” said Laurel Bower, producer/director at Iowa Public Television. “That’s why it’s been a pleasure producing this documentary. His determination to achieve an education as a black man right after the Civil War and his life’s work helping those who needed it the most, these are the reasons we are still talking about him 75 years after his death.”

This documentary features footage and interviews from Simpson, Iowa State University and Tuskegee University.

Support for “George Washington Carver: An Uncommon Life” is provided by DuPont Pioneer, the Wallace Foundation, the Alliant Energy Foundation and the Des Moines Playhouse.