Erikson Institute co-founder, early childhood education advocate Barbara Taylor Bowman dies at 96

CHICAGO — Barbara Taylor Bowman, an early childhood education advocate and co-founder of Erikson Institute, has died at 96.

Bowman, who was born on Chicago's South Side in 1928, died on Monday, Nov. 4.

Bowman's prolific career in education began in 1950 after she graduated from Sarah Lawrence College and became a preschool teacher. She would go on to earn her master's degree in education from the University of Chicago in 1952.

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Four years later, in November of 1956, Bowman and her husband, Dr. James E. Bowman, welcomed a daughter.

Their daughter, Valerie Jarrett , was a Senior Advisor and Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs during the Obama administration.

Bowman's dedication to education continued and in 1966, after recognizing a growing need for specialized training for teachers of children from under-resourced communities, she co-founded the Erikson Institute alongside child psychologist Maria Piers, social worker Lorraine Wallach and businessman Irving Harris.

The founders created the institute with the vision that it would provide educators with the skills and knowledge to give all children an equal opportunity to succeed.

Following the founding of the institute, Bowman became an internationally renowned expert in early childhood development.

"Barbara Taylor Bowman was a true visionary," Erikson President Mariana Souto-Manning said in a statement . "Her legacy is one of transformation, not only of Erikson but of the entire early childhood education landscape. She didn't just shape an institution—she helped shape the very foundation of the field. Barbara's commitment to justice, equity, and the well-being of all children will continue to animate our mission, inspire our work, and guide the field for generations to come."

Bowman later served as president at Erikson from 1994 to 2001 and her legacy continues to hold strong. The long tradition of handing a yellow rose to each Erikson graduate was started by Bowman during graduation ceremonies held in her own garden.

In 2017, WGN-TV profiled Bowman as one of Chicago's Very Own .

For nearly a decade Bowman worked hand-in-hand with former Secretary of Education Arne Duncan in D.C. while she simultaneously ran the office of early childhood education for CPS.

Bowman, who also served as a consultant to the U.S. Secretary of Education under President Barack Obama, continued to teach graduate courses and serve on numerous committees and boards until her death.