Born into slavery, George Washington Carver,a.k.a "The Peanut Man" rose to become one of the most prominent scientists of his time. As the head of Tuskegee Institute’s agricultural department, the plant biologist invented more than 300 different products derived from peanuts. In addition to bringing peanut-based makeup, medicine, paints, food products, and other products to market, Carver’s peanut-based products made good use of the low-demand peanut crops saddling Southern sharecroppers, contributing positively to the nation’s economy.
No one knows that necessity is the mother invention better than Madam C.J. Walker, one of the country’s first self-made female millionaires. Born Sarah Breedlove, C.J. suffered from early hair loss, prompting her to invent and promote a line of African American hair products and establish her own laboratory, factory, and beauty school. Walker was also a known philanthropist, contributing vast amounts to scholarship programs, elderly housing, the NAACP, and other programs.