Barbara Bowman, a formidable advocate for early childhood education and co-founder of Chicago’s Erikson Institute, has passed away at the age of 96; her death was announced earlier this week, as reported by
CBS News Chicago
. Bowman, born on the South Side of Chicago and mother to Valerie Jarrett, the former Senior Advisor in the Obama administration, is remembered not just for her leadership roles but as an educator who began her journey teaching preschool in 1950, after graduating from Sarah Lawrence College.
Throughout Bowman’s years, she consistently pushed boundaries in her field, after earning her master’s degree in education from the University of Chicago in 1952, she welcomed a daughter with her husband Dr. James E. Bowman in November of 1956, their child, Valerie Jarrett served as a notable figure in national policy during the Obama era. Following a career trajectory that painted her as an advocate for under-resourced communities Bowman went on to establish the Erikson Institute alongside fellow leaders in 1966, aiming at equipping educators to impart equitable education, according to
WGN-TV
.
Erikson President Mariana Souto-Manning described Bowman as a “true visionary,” who created a lasting impact “of Erikson but of the entire early childhood education landscape”; this sentiment was shared by both news outlets. Bowman’s dedication was witnessed in her presidency at Erikson from 1994 to 2001, her advisory role to the U.S. Secretary of Education under President Obama, and her near-decade of work with former Secretary of Education Arne Duncan in developing policies for early childhood education, as stated by
CBS News Chicago
.
Bowman was also recognized for her personal touch in the academic ceremonies at Erikson Institute, where she started the tradition of presenting a yellow rose to graduates, embodying her warmth and the nurturing environment she fostered this gesture, this gesture became a hallmark of the graduation ceremonies held in her own garden, exemplifying her personal commitment to the institution she helped found; she was featured as one of Chicago’s Very Own by
WGN-TV
in 2017. Even in the last moments of her life, Bowman continued to serve by teaching graduate courses and actively participating in various committees and boards, ensuring that her legacy of dedication to the field of early childhood education would resonate beyond her lifetime, a monumental task akin to planting a forest in which the next generations linger and learn, a responsibility she bore with grace and vigor.
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