Rosa L. Dixon Bowser (1855-1931)

Rosa Bowser, educator and social reformer, was enslaved at birth at Clay Hill plantation in Amelia County. Educated in Richmond’s public schools, she taught school, supervised teachers, and helped form the first African American teachers’ association in Virginia, which she later served as president. As a leader in women’s clubs and African American reform organizations, Bowser sought improvements in health care, legal aid, support for young mothers, and education for disadvantaged children. She helped found the National Association of Colored Women, which worked against lynching and segregation and for women’s suffrage. The Richmond Public Library’s branch for Black patrons was named for her.

Department of Historic Resources, 2022