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Simpson College is partnering with Indianola to host a series of events on campus and throughout the community to commemorate the inaugural George Washington Carver Day on Wednesday, Feb. 1. The festivities are part of a state-wide day of celebration honoring Dr. Carver, as declared by Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds.
Carver began his college education at Simpson College in 1890 on his way to earning a bachelor’s degree in agricultural science and a master’s degree in science from Iowa State. Reflecting on his days at Simpson, Carver said, “…the kind of people there made me believe that I was a human being.”
The day-long celebration opens with a rich variety of “Diversity in STEM” activities running from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., in Simpson’s Carver Center Atrium. At 10:30 a.m., the celebration moves downtown with a 90-minute guided tour of Carver-related sites around the Indianola Square and at the Warren County Historical Society. At noon, there will be a reception and proclamation reading at Simpson’s Lekberg Hall in the Amy Robertson Music Building.
Afternoon sessions at Lekberg Hall will begin at 1 p.m., with a presentation by Linda Griffith Smith of the Madison County Historical Society. At 2 p.m., Paxton Williams will perform “Listening to the Still Small Voice: The Story of George Washington Carver.” A self-guided tour featuring six historical campus landmarks will be available following Williams’ presentation—beginning at 3 p.m.
“This will be a special day for everyone at Simpson and our entire Indianola community, as we celebrate the many contributions Dr. Carver made to our college,” said Keyah Levy, vice president for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. “He paved the path for so many and his legacy lives on today in so many ways. We look forward to growing this important annual celebration in the coming years.”
George Washington Carver Day will conclude with a reception from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., at West Hill Brewing Company. Attendees will enjoy the roll out of “Peanut Genius,” a locally brewed beer with nodes of peanuts—produced by Simpson alums Doug Gaumer and Heather Norris Gaumer, both Class of 2005.
More event details are available on Simpson’s Website here.