The peanut.

While most people think of the peanut as a delicious snack food or jelly’s companion in a PB&J, one man turned the simple peanut into flours, pastes, papers, soaps, lotions and much more.

George Washington Carver dedicated his research at the Tuskegee Institute, and the majority of his life, to peanuts. From Aug. 27 to Sept. 25, you can see Alabama native and famed photographer P.H. Polk’s collection of images of Carver’s work while he was at the Tuskegee Institute. The collection will be displayed downtown at The University of Alabama’s Paul R. Jones Gallery.

Katie Howard, the director of the gallery, says that the University holds one of the largest collections of Polk’s photography in the Southeast. Some of the images have been previously displayed at The Birmingham Museum of Art and The Montgomery Museum of Fine Art.

The collection was donated in 2008 and is part of The Paul R. Jones Collection of American Art, a permanent collection owned by The College of Arts and Sciences.

Megan Flory, a junior minoring in art, is excited to see the collection.

“While many know the name George Washington Carver, many people don’t understand how influential he was and how many products today would not be possible without his work,” Flory said. “I am really looking forward to seeing these up close and personal photos of Carver. He had a major impact on the South and did a lot of his work here in Alabama”.

Flory said she plans to visit the collection sometime this week.

The Paul R. Jones Gallery is located at 2308 6th St. in downtown Tuscaloosa. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the first Friday of every month from noon to 8 p.m. A special reception will be help on Sept. 4 from 5:30-7:30p.m.