Cincinnati Parks: Celebrating African American Trailblazers During Black History Month

Press release from Cincinnati Parks:

Kelly Piller

2022-02-20

Each February our country celebrates Black History Month, honoring the African American men and women who have shaped our history. African Americans have long contributed to nature and conservation efforts in the United States, a history that is often overlooked. To pay tribute to their legacies, we have highlighted six key African Americans who played a vital role in parks and nature from the past to the present.

George Washington Carver (circa 1864 – Jan. 5, 1943)

While George Washington Carver was most famously known for his ingenious inventions using the peanut (over 300 in total), he was also known as a brilliant botanist and a pioneer in combating soil depletion. During his time, cotton production in the South suffered due to overproduction, which left the soil harsh and stripped of nutrients. Carver suggested a crop rotation including peanuts and sweet potatoes, both of which are excellent at restoring nitrogen into the soil. His plan assisted struggling sharecroppers (many of which were former slaves like himself) with their crop yields. After his death in 1943, President Roosevelt created the George Washington Carver National Monument in Joplin, Missouri. It was the first national monument dedicated to an African American and to a non-president.

Lisa P. Jackson (February 8, 1962)

This press release was produced by Cincinnati Parks. The views expressed here are the author’s own.