100 Years Ago, George Washington Carver Received a Patent for a ‘Vanishing Cream’

Among the myths about legendary inventor and scientist George Washington Carver was that he invented peanut butter and held many patents. But it is widely known that he discovered more than 300 uses for peanuts.

One of the most creative uses was for a cosmetic vanishing cream made from peanuts, granted U.S. Patent No. 1,522,176 on January 6, 1925. The patent describes a “pomade” that will “provide a ‘vanishing cream’ of any desired or usual tint.”

Neither this nor Carver’s other two patents filed were commercially successful. His other two approved patents involved the manufacture and production of paint and stains from natural clay.

But as the first African American to earn an advanced degree in the field of agriculture, Carver—born into slavery—promoted the growth of peanuts for their nutritional benefits as well as a soil-replenishing crop alternative to cotton. His inventions and innovations revolutionized the farming industry.

Carver’s contributions to progress and prosperity are routinely celebrated not just during Black History Month, but every day in America.