Margaret Davis Bowen
{{Short description|American educator (1894–1976)}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Margaret Davis Bowen
| image =
| birth_name = Margaret Davis
| birth_date = {{birth date|1894|5|24}}
| birth_place = Columbus, Georgia, US
| death_date = {{death date and age|1976|4|20|1894|5|24}}
| death_place = Columbus, Ohio, US
| burial_place = South-View Cemetery
| education = University of Cincinnati, B.S., M.Ed., and Ed.D.
| occupation = Teacher and principal
| employer = Cincinnati Public Schools
| organization = Alpha Kappa Alpha
Just Us (Atlanta)
| spouse = John W. E. Bowen Jr.
| children = John W. E. Bowen III
}}
Margaret Davis Bowen (May 24, 1894 – April 20, 1976) was a religious leader, civil rights activist, and educator. She was the first principal of the Gilbert Academy, a private Black preparatory school in New Orleans, during the late 1930s. From 1936 to 1939 she served as the National Basileus of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.
Early life and education
Margaret Davis was born on May 24, 1894, in Columbus, Georgia. She was the first African American to attend the National German-American Teachers' Seminary, part of the University of Wisconsin, where she studied German and became one of its first two Black graduates.{{Cite news |date=1950-03-24 |title=Atlantan Among Three Receiving Bethune-Cookman Doctorate Degree |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/alabama-tribune-atlantan-among-three-rec/163873198/ |access-date=2025-01-25 |work=Alabama Tribune |pages=6 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news |last=Garnett |first=Lillian B. |date=1971-05-08 |title=A Tribute to Margaret Davis Bowen the Pearl of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-atlanta-voice-a-tribute-to-margaret/163874564/ |access-date=2025-01-25 |work=The Atlanta Voice |pages=14 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news |last=Woolcock |first=Ozeil Fryer |date=1949-03-13 |title=Mrs. Margaret Davis Bowen Honored at Beautiful Reception |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/atlanta-daily-world-mrs-margaret-davis/163877266/ |access-date=2025-01-25 |work=Atlanta Daily World |pages=3 |via=Newspapers.com}}
She earned a BS, followed by an M.Ed. in 1935, from the University of Cincinnati.{{cite news
| title = The American Negro in College, 1934-35| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=CVgEAAAAMBAJ&q=bowen&pg=PA235| newspaper = The Crisis | date= August 1935| page = 235}}{{Cite web |title=Former International Presidents |url=https://excellence.aka1908.com/about/former-international-presidents |access-date=2025-01-25 |website=Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated}} While at the university, she formed a chapter Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority in 1921.{{Cite web |title=Former International Presidents |url=https://aka1908.com/greatlakes/history/former-international-presidents/ |access-date=2025-01-25 |website=Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. |language=English}} She received a fellowship from the University of Cincinnati's Teachers College, completing the work for an Ed.D. in 1950.
Career
Bowen became a German teacher and, then, an elementary teacher for the Cincinnati Public Schools, teaching there for eighteen years.{{Cite news |date=1976-05-15 |title=Former Orleans Educator's Funeral Held in Atlanta |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-louisiana-weekly-former-orleans-educ/163877860/ |access-date=2025-01-25 |work=The Louisiana Weekly |location=New Orleans, Louisiana |pages=18 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news |date=1936-09-04 |title=New Orleans Hi is Prominent |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/california-eagle-new-orleans-hi-is-promi/163875961/ |access-date=2025-01-25 |work=California Eagle |location=Los Angeles, California |pages=5 |via=Newspapers.com}}
She was hired to be the first president and principal of the Gilbert Academy, a private Black preparatory school in New Orleans, on November 21, 1940.{{Cite news |date=1940-11-23 |title=Margaret Davis Bowen Chosen Head of Gilbert |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/40850877/?match=1&clipping_id=163876504 |access-date=2025-01-25 |work=New Pittsburgh Courier |pages=10 |via=Newspapers.com}} Bowen was an advocate of progressive education, creating a curriculum that led to accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Preparatory Schools in the academy's first.
In November 1948 she resigned from Gilbert and moved to Atlanta where she was taught for the Atlanta Public School.{{Cite news |date=1976-04-23 |title=Obituary for Margaret. Davis BOWEN |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-atlanta-constitution-obituary-for-ma/163872819/ |access-date=2025-01-25 |work=The Atlanta Constitution |pages=44 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news |date=1948-11-27 |title=Margaret Davis Bowen Paid Farewell Tribute |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/new-pittsburgh-courier-margaret-davis-bo/163876721/ |access-date=2025-01-25 |work=New Pittsburgh Courier |pages=9 |via=Newspapers.com}}
She was the first president of the neighborhood association of Just Us, a tiny westside neighborhood of Atlanta near Washington Park.
Honors
In March 1950, she received an honorary Doctor of Law degree from Bethune-Cookman College. In 1956, she was selected as the teacher of the year at M. M. Bethune Elementary School in Atlanta, Georgia.{{Cite news |date=1956-03-25 |title=Bethune Teacher of the Year Honor by Co-Workers |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/atlanta-daily-world-bethune-teacher-of-t/163875378/ |access-date=2025-01-25 |work=Atlanta Daily World |pages=3 |via=Newspapers.com}}
Just Us, a tiny westside neighborhood of Atlanta dedicated a small park in her honor.{{Cite web |last=Green |first=Josh |date=2016-09-20 |title=Wandering around Just Us, Atlanta’s smallest neighborhood |url=https://atlanta.curbed.com/2016/9/20/12986988/wandering-just-us-atlanta-smallest-neighborhood |access-date=2025-04-21 |website=Curbed Atlanta |language=en}}
IN 1964, Alpha Kappa Alpha established the Margaret Davis Bowen Award, presented by its Southeast Region.{{Cite news |date=1971-05-08 |title=Highlights of the AKA S.E. Regional Conference |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-atlanta-voice-highlights-of-the-aka/163876356/ |access-date=2025-01-25 |work=The Atlanta Voice |pages=17 |via=Newspapers.com}}
Personal life
She was married to John W. E. Bowen Jr., the editor of the Christian Advocate.{{Cite thesis |last=Cavazos |first=Mary Kay |title=Considering What Others Say I Am: African American Women and Foreign Mission |publisher=Drew University |url=http://divinity.duke.edu/oxford/docs/2007papers/2007-3Cavazos.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718122416/http://divinity.duke.edu/oxford/docs/2007papers/2007-3Cavazos.pdf |archive-date=2011-07-18 |year=1960 |url-status=dead}} Later, he became a bishop in the Methodist Episcopal Church. Their son, John W. E. Bowen III, became a state senator in Ohio.{{Cite web |title=John W. E. Bowen III |url=https://www.ohiostatehouse.org/museum/george-washington-williams-room/john-w-e-bowen-iii |access-date=2025-01-25 |website=Ohio Statehouse}} The family moved to Mississippi and Louisiana when her husband was transferred to a conference there.
From 1936 to 1939 she served as the National Basileus or president of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. She was also the sorority's national secretary. She was also the president of the Central Jurisdictional Women's Society of Christian Service for eight years. She was the first president of the Just Us Neighbor's Club of the westside neighborhood of Atlanta near Washington Park.{{Cite news |date=1958-01-11 |title=Mrs. Margaret Davis Bowen |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/atlanta-daily-world-mrs-margaret-davis/163876981/ |access-date=2025-01-25 |work=Atlanta Daily World |pages=5 |via=Newspapers.com}} She was also a member of the National Council of Negro Women.
She died in April 20, 1976 at the Wesley Glenn Methodist Retirement Center in Columbus, Ohio.{{cite news| title = Census: Died | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=ZMADAAAAMBAJ&q=%22margaret+davis+bowen%22+born&pg=PA9| newspaper = Jet| date = May 27, 1976| page = 9|publisher = Johnson Publishing Company}} She was buried in South-View Cemetery in Atlanta.{{Cite news |date=1976-04-21 |title=Margaret Bowen, Former Teacher, Dies at Age 82 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-cincinnati-post-margaret-bowen-form/163875673/ |access-date=2025-01-25 |work=The Cincinnati Post |pages=4 |via=Newspapers.com}}
Publications
- "Youth in a Changing World", The Ivy Leaf, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, March 1939. Vol. 17, No. 1.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{cite news| title = Award from Alpha-Bettes | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=h7QDAAAAMBAJ&q=%22Margaret+Davis+Bowen%22+atlanta&pg=PA19| newspaper = Jet| date = May 4, 1961| page = 19|publisher = Johnson Publishing Company}}
- Margaret Davis Bowen's frozen custard recipe: {{cite book |title=The Historical Cookbook of the American Negro |authorlink= |author1=Sue Bailey Thurman |author2=Anne Bower|author3=National Council of Negro Women|year= 2000|publisher= Beacon Press |location= Boston|isbn= 0-8070-0964-4|page= 75|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=iOpD6b3irOAC&q=bowen&pg=PA75|access-date=2011-01-01}}
{{Civil rights movement}}
{{Alpha Kappa Alpha International Presidents}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bowen, Margaret Davis}}
Category:University of Cincinnati alumni
Category:American civil rights activists
Category:20th-century African-American educators
Category:20th-century American educators
Category:20th-century American women educators
Category:African-American Methodists