George Washington Carver was born in Diamond Grove, Missouri during the spring of 1864 or 1865. Like many slaves, he was uncertain of his birth date. His mother, Mary, was a slave who belonged to Moses and Susan Carver. As an infant, slave raiders kidnapped his mother. The childless carvers reared George and his older brother, James. Growing up, George was captivated by plants. Many neighbors referred to him as the “Plant Doctor”. Since Carver was an African American, he was not accepted at any local schools, therefore he had to attend school eight miles away from home. He did very well in school. In 1885 he was accepted to Highland College in