(Des Moines, IA) -- The Iowa Legislature is looking to designate February 1st as George Washington Carver Day.
"This country is not hungry and they are not cold," Says State Senator Dan Zumbach. "We've been able to get that done because of folks like George Washington Carver."
George Washington Carver started studying art at Simpson College before transferring to Iowa State Agricultural College.
When he started studying botany at Iowa State in 1891, Carver was the institution's first black student.
"George Washington Carver is a remarkable story about overcoming racism to become one of our leading agricultural scientists," says State Senator Herman Quirmbach. "He went on to give his talents to benefit all the country, but especially those who had risen out of slavery."
After being born into slavery in Missouri in the mid-1860's, Carver obtained his bachelor's degree in Agriculture at Iowa State in 1894 and his Master of Science degree in 1896.
Carver went on to teach as the first black faculty member at Iowa State.
The bill needs passage from the Iowa House before going to the desk of Governor Kim Reynolds.