In 1941, a Black American scientist and industrialist and business magnate built a car with never-seen-before plastic made from soybean and other crops through the partnership of George Washington Carver and Henry Ford. Their work resulted in the Soybean Car, an experimental vehicle with body panels made from plant-based materials. The project explored new ways to reduce vehicle weight and lower dependence on steel. Ford believed farming and manufacturing could support each other through new materials. Although the project attracted attention when it was introduced in Michigan, World War II shifted the company's focus, bringing the experiment to an end before commercial production.
