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As we continue to celebrate Black History Month, we remember those who have made opportunities possible for so many, like George Washington Carver (1864-1943). In 1890, Carver enrolled in Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa, where he studied Art. He later transferred to Iowa State to study agriculture, where he earned his Master’s degree by 1896. After accepting an offer from Booker T. Washington, Carver then moved to Alabama where he served as the head of the Agricultural Department at Tuskegee Institute (a historically black college, HBCU). Carver’s research at Tuskegee was innovative in improving efficiency for farmers. Carver became a figure head in agriculture and an icon for the black community.

Carver’s contributions to society can still be felt in places like our home state of Georgia. Even with Carver’s success in agriculture and at an HBCU, there is still more to be done. I am proud to be working to address these issues by introducing legislation in Congress, H.R. 51, the Funding for Student Scholarships for the 1890s Land-Grant African-American Colleges and Universities Act. This bill would establish and provide funding for a grant program through the U.S. Department of Agriculture for scholarships for students who attend historically black colleges and universities established under the Second Morrill Act of 1890. It would allow the USDA to award scholarships to students who want to attend these colleges and intend to pursue a career in the food and agricultural sciences.

Our commitment to the success of our young people is always a priority in hopes for American’s bright future. I will continue to do the work necessary to ensure these possibilities.