William Bowen
William Bowen grew up in the West End of Cincinnati and graduated from Woodward High School. He also attended Xavier University before dropping out to become a force in the Cincinnati political scene.
As the president of the Cincinnati chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (1958 – 1964), Bowen led a march to call for the desegregation of Coney Island’s Sunlite Pool. His gentle approach to people was well-known, and he relied on diplomatic skills rather than confrontation to promote racial integration.
Bowen won election to the Ohio House of Representatives in 1966, and four years later, he was appointed to and then won, on his own, the Ohio Senate seat for the 9th district. He held the office until his retirement in 1994.
During his tenure in the Senate, Bowen became a champion of civil rights, fair housing, and affirmative action. He was the driving force behind the legislation that established state set-asides, awarding state contracts to minority contractors. Cincinnati acknowledged his exceptional leadership during the late 1960s.
Bowen was a Mason, a member of the Zion Baptist Church, and an organizer of the Citizens Coalition Against Crime. He was also a family man. He and his wife Sharon had five children: William, Kevin, Terry, Nikol, and Linda.
Related Article: The History of African Americans in Cincinnati
After he retired from the Senate, Bowen worked as a government consultant and continued in the insurance business he started decades earlier. He died on April 22, 1999.
Three other African Americans have been elected to represent Hamilton County in the Ohio Senate – Mark Mallory (1999-2005), Eric Kearney (2005-2014) and Cecil Thomas (2015- present).
Source
William F. Bowen | Ohio Statehouse
About The First 28
The First 28, graciously sponsored by the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, celebrates Black Cincinnatians who were the first in their fields. Each day during Black History Month, we will celebrate athletes, artists, business leaders, civil rights activists, educators, physicians, and politicians.
The Voice of Black Cincinnati is a media company designed to educate, recognize, and create opportunities for African Americans. Want to find local news, events, job postings, scholarships, and a database of local Black-owned businesses? Visit our homepage, explore other articles, subscribe to our newsletter, like our Facebook page, join our Facebook group, and text VOBC to 513-270-3880.
Images provided by ohiostatehouse.org and ourcampaigns.com
Comments are closed.