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Narrator: Everywhere Carver went, he had this innate ability to connect with people of all
creeds, cultures and colors. He had an effect on those he met, as they had an effect on
him. They learned from one another. The community of Tuskegee was no different.
Frank Godden, Friend of George Washington Carver: He wanted to know everything about
me, my background, my mother, my father, my sisters and brothers. And from that time we
got to be very good friends.
Dyann Robinson, Founder and Director, Tuskegee Repertory Theater: He liked fat back and my
daddy would, that was his specialty. And his friend, Mr. Parker, Felton Parker, was a baker
but he also was a barber and he used to cut Carver's hair. And so Mr. Parker and my dad
were both proud of knowing Carver and being able to do a little something for him. They
respected him, oh yes. My dad was so proud that he took fat back to Carver.
Melonese Robinson, Former Student Nurse to George Washington Carver: He had to have his
dinner at twelve o'clock. If it was not there he would not eat it. But one day a mother
came in preeclampsia, she was pregnant. Well, he didn't get his dinner at twelve noon that
day. He got it at one o'clock. I told him why I was late. I said, a mother came in preeclampsia,
she was in a coma and Dr. Mitchell called us to the operating room and that's why your
dinner is late. "Well, I would not be in the world if it had not been for a female, my
mother." He ate his dinner.
Sceiva Holland, Tuskegee, Alabama: She always said that Dr. Carver was such a gentle person,
so kind, so caring. And I said, well mama, how do you figure that? She said, well he
would stop, he would talk, he would take time.
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[Text on Screen]
“Where there is no vision, there is no hope.” --George Washington Carver
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Narrator: Most agreed that Carver was a gifted teacher, whether in the classroom or in the
field, who instilled a sense of wonder and curiosity in his students.
Gary Kremer, Executive Director, State Historical Society of Missouri: I interviewed a number
of his former students. Admittedly they were quite elderly. But they had a great admiration
for him as a teacher. I don't think he was a conventional teacher who stood before class
and lectured. One former student of his described him to me as being like Socrates. He said
he would never tell you anything, he would force you to work for answers yourself. And
I think that is why students found him so challenging and interesting. And there's abundant
evidence that he spent enormous amounts of time with students and that even after students
left he maintained correspondences with them. And a lot of these letters, and I've read
many of them, are addressed to him as Dear Daddy, Dear Father, Dear Dad. And he would
often sign these letters as Your Father. He never married and never had children. I think
his students were his surrogate children in that regard.
Melonese Robinson, Former Student Nurse to George Washington Carver: Just a simple individual,
wasn't hard to talk to, just as kind and nice. You would think he would, being a genius,
you would think he would kind of be a little standoffish, a little selfish, not kind and
not polite. He just acted like a real human being.
Frank Godden, Friend of George Washington Carver: You must get an education and you
must do this and you must do that. And he really affected my life greatly.