[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 32 (Tuesday, February 17, 2026)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E139]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





   CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF THE GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER MUSEUM AND 
                            CULTURAL CENTER

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. GREG STANTON

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 17, 2026

  Mr. STANTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate the 100-year 
anniversary of the George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center 
in Phoenix. The museum is a truly historic site with real significance 
for Black history in Arizona and the United States.
  The building that houses the museum, known today as ``The Carver,'' 
is itself a storied symbol of both injustice and perseverance. It first 
opened in 1926 as the Phoenix Union Colored High School, the only 
Arizona high school built exclusively to serve Black students during 
the era of segregation. That difficult history is inseparable from the 
Carver's legacy. Today, the site stands as a place dedicated to 
preserving and retelling Black history.
  Any account of Black history in Arizona is incomplete without the 
Carver. Despite school segregation, the Carver produced graduates who 
went on to become leaders, public servants, artists, educators, and 
civil rights advocates. The building is standing proof that talent and 
hard work are rewarded, even when the opportunity for success was 
difficult, if not impossible, to come by in a racially segregated 
world.
  The school closed in the 1950s following the desegregation of Phoenix 
high schools, but the future of the building was uncertain. Alumni and 
community leaders recognized its historical and cultural importance and 
mobilized to save it from demolition. In 1996, the site was reborn as 
the George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center, ensuring that 
the legacy of those who studied, taught, and organized there would not 
be lost.
  The Carver Museum today preserves and shares formative chapters of 
Black history in Arizona through exhibitions, archives, educational 
programming, and community events. Exhibits share the experiences and 
contributions of African Americans who helped shape Phoenix and Arizona 
history.
  The importance of the Carver goes beyond historical preservation. The 
museum is a community gathering place. It is a space for learning and 
bringing people from different backgrounds and generations together. It 
is a resource for educators and researchers, a powerful reminder that 
Black history is not distant or abstract. It is local and lived. The 
Carver is foundational to the story of Black history in Phoenix and our 
state. By preserving the past, the museum helps current and future 
generations of Arizonans become well-rounded, and well-informed civic 
leaders who are ready to serve our community and make a real 
difference.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the George 
Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center on its 100th anniversary. 
May it continue to educate, inspire, and remind us that honoring 
history is essential to building justice and opportunity for all.

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