She was instrumental in partnering the Sleepy Hole District Improvement League with the Rosenwald Rural School Building Program.
SUFFOLK, Va. — Graduating from Virginia State University in 1892, Florence Bowser had a passion for education and a vision to provide places of learning for African American kids.
She was instrumental in partnering the Sleepy Hole District Improvement League with the Rosenwald Rural School Building Program, kickstarting fundraising efforts and propelling the project into motion.
By 1920, construction for a brand-new school was completed and the Florence Graded School opened its doors. It was the first school of its kind in Suffolk.
In 1963, it was expanded and renamed to Florence Bowser Elementary, and later in 2018, replaced with a newer larger building. While the original schoolhouse is gone, the passion for education pioneered by Florence Bowser continues.