Wesley Edward Bowen, a man who was born in New Orleans to enslaved parents. 253 After fighting in the Union Army during the Civil War, his father purchased his family's freedom. Bowen studied and taught at several universities, earned a Ph.D. in historical theology from Boston University, and received an honorary Ph.D. from Gammon Theological Seminary. He taught at several institutions, including Howard University, and became the first Black professor at Gammon Theological Seminary. Bowen, a contemporary of Booker T. Washington, supported the intellectual and spiritual development of his students. He trained men in religious studies striving to "build a nation." In 1904, Bowen partnered with Max Barber to co-found the journal, The Voice of the Negro, which ran for three years. 254 Bowen was in Atlanta during the 1906 Race Massacre, where he was beaten and arrested while providing safety to community members on campus. The campus was gated and guarded by the staff. About 4,000 former Buttermilk Bottom residents were resettled in Bowen Homes which was described as "a modern community" in the opening day dedication booklet for the housing project. 255 The Bowen Homes community included an affiliate of the Gate City Day Nursery Association, established in 1982 on its campus, providing daycare for children living in the complex. 256 The design features included "comfortably" designed ramps for seniors and "ingeniously devised" play areas for children. To foster a strong sense of community spirit and shape the culture, various programs and services were created, such as senior clubs, the Bowenettes teen group, a softball league, a community pantry, a park, a community center, and A.D. Williams Elementary School. Community meetings turned into the more formal Tenant Association to maintain communication and decision-making processes among the residents. Dr. William S. Mercer, Board President of the Atlanta Housing Authority, Mrs. Sammie A. Williams, Executive Director of Gate City, and Mr. Samuel Hider, Executive Director of Atlanta Housing Authority, established a program for churches to adopt public housing complexes. 257 Salem Baptist Church adopted Bowen Homes, with the goal of "Improv[ing] the capacity of Atlanta Housing Authority to provide decent, safe, and sanitary housing through expanded social service delivery to its residents." 258 This initiative exemplified a collaborative effort to enhance the living conditions and community support systems within Bowen Homes, ensuring a more integrated and sustainable environment for its residents.
253 "John Wesley Edward Bowen, 1855- 1933," Boston University School of Theology, History of Missiology. Accessed April 3, 2024. https://www.bu.edu/missiology/missionary-biography/a-c/bowen-john-wesley-edward- 1855-1933/.
254 "The Voice of the Negro," The Online Books Page. Accessed April 3, 2024. https://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/serial?id=voicenegro1904. 255 Atlanta Housing Authority, Bowen Homes. 256 Bowen Homes Collection. Courtesy of Atlanta Housing Authority. 257 Bowen Homes Collection. Courtesy of Atlanta Housing Authority. 258 Bowen Homes Collection. Courtesy of Atlanta Housing Authority.
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