Newspaper Page Text
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1960
As the twig is bent:
THE STORY OF BISHOP AND MRS. J. W. E. BOWEN
Bishop and Mrs. J. W. E. Bowen
The name appears slightly more than a hundred times in the
Atlanta phone book, one of these being “Bowen J W E Bishop,”
followed by two listings. Not listed there, but directly connected
are Bowen Circle, Bowen Chapel, a library at Claflin in South Caro
lina, a new church at Tuskeegee — all named for the bishop. Ariel
Bowen Church named for his mother. Another churgh in Los Angeles
named for his father. Just as there is a meditation room on the
Clark College campus, set aside by his wife. Margaret Davis Bowen,
as a memorial to the teacher, social worker and inspiring Christian
who was her mother.
As the twig is bent, the old
saying runs, so will the tree in
cline. To know the kind of parents
the Bowen boy and the Davis girl
had as they were growing up
years ago makes it easier to un
derstand how living lives of serv
ice to others has come almost as
naturally to them as breathing.
The Bishop’s father, Dr. John
Wesley Edward Bowen, was by
unanimous report, an unusually
gifted man. He was born a slave,
but eleven years after gaining his
freedom, he had earned the Ph.D.
degree from Boston University,
the first of his race to win this
degree at Boston and only the
second Negro in the entire country
to hold the doctorate. Before re
ceiving the B.A. and Ph.D. de
grees at Boston, Dr. Bowen had
taught at Walden University in
Nashville (from one department of
which Meharry developed*. Dr.
Bowen went on to serve with dis
tinction as pastor of the Revere
Street Methodist Church in Bos
ton, St. John’s Methodist Church
in Newark, New Jersey, and the
Centennial Methodist Church in
Baltimore, Maryland. He had
married Harriet King Hedges, of
Newark, a gifted and gentle
spirited woman who had been
educated in Springfield, Mass. In
1899, during their stay in Balti
more, the Bowens became par
ents of John Wesley Edward
Bowen, Jr., and after a stay in
Washington, D. C., the Bowens
came to Atlanta where Dr. Bowen
became professor of theology at
Gammon Theological Seminary, a
position he held until his death
in 1933.
Dr. James P. Brawley, Presi
dent of Clark College, in speaking
of Dr. Bowen recently, remarked
how hard it is for Atlantans today
to realize how unusual the South
Atlanta community was in the
days when Bishop Bowen was
growing up there. With the
campuses of Clark University and
Gammon serving as its center, an
integrated community of cultured
Negro and white families flour
ished. Young John Bowen thus
moved from his earliest days in
a world which included presidents
of the two institutions and their
families, general officers of the
Methodist Church, teachers of
both races who had come South
to pass on classical learning and
their great faith in the possibili
ties of all human beings.
Young John’s father was not
only an outstanding educator but
so brilliant and stirring an orator
that the announcement that he
was to speak was a guarantee of
a full house. Dr. Bowen cam
paigned during those early years
for a larger role for Negroes in
the governing bodies of the Meth
odist Church. Many years later
some of Dr. Bowen’s white as
sociates. joining the throng of
well-wishers around the man who
had just been elected bishop, re l
minded Dr. Bowen’s son of the
long, and seemingly unsuccessful
fight his father had waged. Only
they and the new bishop fully
appreciated what these men
meant when they said, “At last.”
Bishop Bowen’s mother was a
gifted musician and endowed her
son not only with her own love
for music but also with her gen
tleness of disposition and with
that kindness and consideration
for the feelings of others which
is rather rarely found in success
ful men.
The Girl from
“Over the Rhine”
While young John was growing
up in South Atlanta, a pert little
girls in Cincinnati, a member of
the only Negro family living in
the section known as “Over the
Ifra
■ ri rIJ
THE FIRST JOHN BOWEN—
DR. J. W. E. BOWEN, religious
leader, educator, orator, early
supported of the N.A.A.C.P. First
Negro to receive the Ph D. at
Boston University, second Negro
in the U. S. to earn the doctorate.
Rhine”, sat at her window every
morning watching the little Ger
man-American girls in their neat,
starched aprons troop by her
house, lunch baskets in hand.
Little Margaret Davis’s parents,
originally from Columbus, Geor
gia, where their home occupied
the highest spot in the town, had
come to Cincinnati to make sure
that any child of theirs would
have the best educational oppor
tunities they could find. As her
father went out to his hacking
duties for the city and her mother
set off each day for her pioneer
ing work in teaching and social
w'ork, they hardly dreamed that
their daughter would be able to
do a pretty fair job of finding
educational opportunities for her
self.
For one morning, determined to
• JI
-4
THE BOWEN FAMILY—The Bowen family posed for this picture in
the well-appointed Fountain Drive home of Bishop and Mrs. Bowen
shortly before the death of Mrs. Bowen’s mother (center). Seated
are Mrs. J. W. E. Bow’en, 111 and her son, John IV, the late Mrs.
Davis, and Mrs. J. W. E. Bowen, Jr. Standing are Bishop Bowen,
his son, Attorney J. W. E. Bowen 111 and the Bishop’s granddaughter,
Janice Gail Bowen.
Am 5
50.111
HONORED BY FRATERNITY—Bishop J. W. E. Bowen, Jr. and his
wife beam with pleasure at a banquet tendered in their honor by
the Atlanta chapters of Alpha Phi Alpha and the Alpha Beetes.
Seated to the Bishop’s right is Dr. James P. Brawley. President of
Clark College, who delivered the principal remarks concerning the
guests of honor. Dr. Harry V. Richardson. President of the Inter
denominational Theological Seminary and Toastmaster for the oc
casion is seated at Mrs. Bowen’s left. Standing, at right, is Eugene
Craig, President of the local chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha.
THE ATLANTA INQUIRER
. have her lively curiosity satisfied,
j little Margaret put on her own
neat apron and followed the little
German-American girls down the
! street, winding up in the middle
of a German kindergarten. The
teachers could not help laughing,
but after talking to the attractive,
: intelligent little child and finding
that she had already picked up
some German from her father
they decided that she must stay.
So, without lawsuit or racial out
j bursts or fanfare, the small Negro
I girl with the king-sized curiosity
' and huge appetite for learning in
। tegrated what had been an all
i white kindergarten class.
By the time she was in the 7th
' grade Margaret Davis was so pro
■ ficient in German that she was
! chosen each year as one of the
i top-ranking pupils who appeared
: between the scenes at Cincinnati’s
: Grand Opera House to introduce
) the singers. She remembers still
appearing on the big stage in
I white satin trousers and a large
beret with fancy plumes to pipe
out the names of the fictional
i kings and queens in faultless
I German.
The Assistant Superintendent of
j Schools, a German-American, was
j so struck with her ability that he
I selected her as one of two girls
j who would go to the German
i American Teacher’s Seminary in
Milwaukee to be given further
training with the view of return
ing to Cincinnati as teachers of
i German. News of her selection
' travelled quickly to Milwaukee,
I and students in Milwaukee de
i cided to strike. Not one student
; was on hand as the Cincinnati
■ girls put in their appearance but
| within five minutes, having satis
■ fied themselves by discreet spy
| ing that the Negro girl neither
| spoke nor acted as they had ex
j pected, the others quietly trickled
j into class. From that point her
| classes, including 3 months of
; practice teaching in the Milwau
kee schools, proceeded without
undue incident and she returned
on schedule to teach in the Cin
cinnati Public Schools, the young
est teacher to be employed to
that date.
A Highly Successful Team
By the time J.W.E. Bowen, Jr.
married Margaret Davis in 1921,
he was already well on his way.
From that day to this they were
to be a devoted and highly suc
cessful team. After graduating
from Clark University (now Clark
College) as an elementary stu
dent, young John Bowen went on
to famed Phillips Exeter prep
school, to Wesleyan in Connecticut
where he received his A.B. degree
and to Harvard where he was
awarded the M.A. degree. His ex
periences included teaching at
New Orleans University, and Claf
lin, service with the armed forces
in 1818 19 as an overseas army
chaplain, field work for the Board
of Sunday Schools of the Method
ist Church and pastorates in Jack
son, Mississippi, New Orleans and
Shreveport. He had served with
great skill as editor of the Central
Christian Advocate for four years
leading up to the historic day
in 1948 when his fellow Methodists
elected him Bishop in Clark’s Da
vage Auditorium.
Mrs. Bowen went on to receive
the B.S. degree and M.A. degree
at the University of Cincinnati
and to complete requirements for
her doctorate after study at Miami
University of Ohio, the Univer
sity of Wisconsin and the Uni
versity of Chicago. Her gifts as
a teacher were recognized in 1955
when she was chosen Teacher of
the Year while at the Mary Mc-
Cleod Bethune Elementary School.
Following in her mother’s foot
steps, she did volunteer social
work in Jackson, Miss., for five
years. She is a past national pres
ident (Supreme Basileus) of Alpha
Kappa Alpha sorority and one of
the most potent forces for good
'in the Atlanta community, work
ing through a network of organi
zations ranging from one of the
city’s most effective neighborhood
clubs, JUNS, to a staggering col
lection of citizens’ committees,
fund-raising campaigns and social
educational activities.
At a banquet given recently in
honor of Bishop Bowen, who re
tired in July of this year, mem
bers of the local Alpha and Alpha
Bettes chapters were amazed at
the dazzling record of achieve
ment in the interest of others
compiled over the years by the
modest couple. Though they have
travelled widely in America and
throughout the world the trips they
wished longest for were a long
time coming. From the time he
was a boy in Atlanta the Bishop
had discussed .with his young
friends their notion of leaving the
American South and going to
South America, preferably Brazil,
to engage in business without the
restrictions sometimes encount
ered in the homeland. When he
finally got to South America a
few years ago, as a distinguished
churchman, he became ill and
had to abandon the trip. Where
did the illness choose to waylay
him? In Brazil, of course.
Mrs. Bowen was more fortunate
this past summer. The girl from
“Over the Rhine” finally realized
her lifelong ambition of visiting
Germany. She lived with the na
tives of the country in their
homes, speaking the language she
and they had loved from child
hood, admired the beautifully
crafted cuckoo clocks and floated
down the Rhine singing “The
Lorelei” and witnessed the world
famed Passion Play.
But for both of them perhaps
their proudest achievement is
found in Columbus, Ohio. For
there Attorney John Wesley
Bowen, 111, formerly chief coun
sel in the Columbus City At
torney’s office and his wife, the
former Jeanne Leahr of Cin
cinnati. devote a considerable
amount of their time to rearing
the Bowen grandson. If heredity
has anything to do with it, the
world should one day hear from
that young man.
A Citizen Speaks -
(Continued from Page 1)
ing my credit charge plate, No.
207-1664-3.
I find that my Conscience and
Self-Respect will no longer allow
me to support a business that
shows so much unfairness to its
Colored Patrons.
We have sent Committees to see
you; we have written letters of
protest; but, none of these ap
peals caused you to change
your attitude and policy toward
your Colored Patrons. Rev. M. L.
King, Sr., and myself, talked with
Mr. Rich, personally, some time
ago, about these injustices, but to
no avail.
My wife and I have been mar
ried fifty-four (54) years. We have
lived in one house, here in Atlanta,
over fifty (50) years. We have
reared six (6) daughters, all of
whom have been good customers
in your store. One of our daugh
ters, Mattiwilda Dobbs, is now an
Opera Star, having sung at the
LaScala Opera House, Milan,
Italy; Royal Opera House, Lon
don, England; Bolshoi in Moscow;
Australia; Israel; and for the past
four (4) years, one of the leading
stars with the Metropolitan Opera
Company, New York City. I hope
you will forgive me for this per
sonal reference about my daugh
ter, but your policy of racial dis
crimination makes it impossible
for people of her type to drink a
cup of coffee, or eat a sandwich,
in your store, without discrimina
tion and humiliation. This policy
would also apply to Dr. Ralph
Bunche of the United Nations,
should he happen to come to At
lanta and your store.
Gentlemen, I think that the time
has long passed for this kind of
racial bias and discrimination.
The Federal Courts of our land
are consistently striking down all
forms of bias, discrimination,
and segregation because of race
among American citizens.
Your policy of “JIM-CROW”
treatment to your Colored Patrons
is positively WRONG, and UN
FAIR. You are caught on the
East Side'West Side
EAST SIDE, WEST SIDE Tag
Henry Wynn, proprietor of Henry’s Grille and commanding
general of Red Top Cabs, is opening a new “concession” soon
next door to his Grille. To all questions concerning the kind of
concession this is to be his answer is “Just watch for the
opening. . .
Hunter Street is saying hello to The New Prelude Record
Shop, Carolyn Jeter and Herman Johnson, owners. Herman is a
student at Moresouse, Carolyn doubles as sales manager for W. A.
Remington Company ....
Cute and capable Alice Wyche is leaving Radio Station
W-E-R-D to enter Atlanta University’s School of Social Work,
where she will specialize in Psychiatric Social Work. Replacing
her as Women’s Editor and topkick of the “Home Executive
Show” is Howard High and business college grad, Miss Yvonne
Perryman ....
Among the strong contingent of Atlanta realtists taking off
for the 13th Annual Convention of the National Association of
Real Estate Brokers and the 4th Annual Convention of the Na
tional Association of Real Estate Appraisers are Q. V. Williamson,
one of the original vice presidents of the organization and J. T.
Bickers, president of the Empire Realty Board. Also Calvin
Thornton, J. C. Johnson, T. G. Goodrum, and more good men
than you can shake a stick of type at ... . East Side, West Side
promises to complete the list on the return of the men from
The Avenue and The Street ....
A new office is located at 859)4 Hunter Street. Moving into
the office formerly occupied by Dr. Warner are the Representative
Consultants for Negro High Schools and Elementary Schools for
the State of Georgia. Personnel includes Herman F. Bostick, for
eign language consultant; Atlanta U. Social Work grad Robert
Threatt; Miss Rebecca E. Davis, Curriculum Instructor and Con
sultant for Elementary Schools; Miss Lillian A. Price, Math Con
sultant; and Mrs. Dorothy B. Sims, stenographer. This team,
formerly headquartered in the Administration Building of Atlanta
University, includes among its jobs any problem related to the
improving of the overall educational program. They speak to
students on Career Days, work with PTA groups and resource
persons and are usually called in when a school is undergoing
self-study for accreditation or re-evaluation ....
Moving from 870 Hunter to 890 Hunter is the Paramount De
velopment Company: General Contractors. Atlantans J. L. Wolfe
(Wolfe Realty) and Clyde Sutton (local representative for the
Crayton Sausage Company) operate Paramount ....
Marie’s Flower Shop has moved from 10 Ashby Street to 894
Hunter, adding to the handsome fronts which are gradually giving
a face-lifting to our business main-stems, East and West ....
Thomas Service Station will soon have a new parking lot in
the rear for businessmen and their customers on Hunter Street.
There will be parking fees. Or did you guess? ....
Ed. Note: If it finds favor with our friends in the business pro
fessional and educational community, East Side, West Side
will continue its running commentary each week.
PAGE THREE
Ebony Fashion Fair
Chicago, Illinois — John H.
Johnson, Publisher of EBONY
Magazine, announced the third
annual presentation of EBONY
FASHION FAIR, in Atlanta, Ga.,
Sun., Oct. 16, 5:00 P.M., at More
house College Physical Education
Bldg.
Outstanding social or civic organi
zations are selected by EBONY
as sponsors in each city.
More than $150,000 has been
donated to such worthy char
ities as United Negro College
Fund, Urban League, Mental
Health, Community Boys Clubs
and hospitals and scholarships for
young men and women.
wrong side of a MORAL ISSUE.
Already cities like St. Louis, Mo.,
Louisville, Ky., Nashville, Tenn.,
Durham, N. C., and Tampa, Fla.,
have done something about this
condition. You continue to do
NOTHING about it.
I ran thru my cancelled checks,
paid to your firm in 1959 and
1960, just to see what kind of
customer I had been with you.
My cancelled checks for 1959
show that I paid your firm Two
Thousand Four Hundred Ninety-
Two Dollars and Twenty-nine
cents ($2,492.29). With this final
check enclosed today, for One
Hundred Fifty Nine Dollars and
Eighty-Eight cents ($159.88), I
find, that so far in 1960, I have
paid your firm One Thousand Two
Hundred Sixty Dollars and Sev
enty-one cents. ($1,260.71); total
amount for 1959 and 1960 — Three
Thousand Seven Hundred Fifty-
Three Dollars ($3,753.00).
Your discriminatory policy to
ward my family, and my racial
group, is simply more than I can
continue to support. Therefore,
gentlemen, in terminating my
business relationship with your
store, I just want you to know
how I feel about your discrimi
natory policy in Atlanta, Georgia
toward your Colored Patrons.
Very truly yours,
John Wesley Dobbs
