George Washington Carver at Tuskegee Institute

C. Allen Alexander, an African-American surgeon from Michigan, convinced George Washington Carver to allow him to shoot 16 mm color footage of the famed botanist and inventor at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. Alexander wisely shot the film using gloriously resilient Kodachrome, ensuring the colors remain stunningly vibrant and rich. The 12 minutes of fascinating amateur footage include scenes of Carver in his apartment, office and laboratory, as well as images of him tending flowers and displaying his paintings. Also included is footage of a Tuskegee Institute football game and the school's marching band and majorettes.

The National Archives has digitized George Washington Carver at Tuskegee Institute as part of its multi-year effort to preserve and make available the historically significant film collections of the National Park Service. The footage can be seen on YouTube.

George Washington Carver at Tuskegee Institute was added to the National Film Registry in 2019.