The early childhood profession lost a legend on November 4, 2024, when Barbara T. Bowman passed away, but we are all gifted with the legacy of her scholarship and work. Barbara’s impactful and inspiring career spanned decades and roles in the early childhood education field.

Barbara was born in 1928. She graduated from Sarah Lawrence College and taught preschool before cofounding the Erikson Institute in Chicago, Illinois. There, she served as Irving B. Harris professor of child development and as president from 1994 to 2000. Other key roles included president of NAEYC’s Governing Board (1980–1982), chief officer of early childhood education for the Chicago Public Schools (2004–2012), and educator advisor to the Obama administration.

As a Black woman in early education, Barbara was someone I looked to for inspiration. Her work was essential to me, as it was to many others. It gave me the language I needed to elevate the needs of Black children in the programs I served. But even more importantly, I looked to Barbara as a Black woman who made an impact on a profession that has not always seen us as leaders. While tiny, she stood tall and commanded the attention of the people around her.

I was lucky enough to have some one-on-one time with Barbara in her office at Erikson Institute in 2017. The time I spent with her left a strong impact. She had a way of getting straight to the point that was both refreshing and intimidating, but I soaked up every word she said. That same year, I was engaged in doctoral coursework. While it was impactful, my subsequent deep dive into the writings of Barbara Bowman had even more influence on me, and I know her scholarship has had that impact on many others.

I want to share my thanks and appreciation for Barbara Bowman's legacy. As NAEYC’s managing director of early learning, I keep Barbara’s work and words in mind as I work to support children, educators, and families and especially those Black educators, children, and families who look like me. I know that without Barbara’s pioneering, I would not be sitting in the seat I am in today.

While Barbara will be missed, she will continue to live on in the work of many educators and scholars through her many contributions. She moved the field forward through research, policy, and practice as well as mentoring countless early childhood professionals. Here are just a few highlights of the NAEYC publications she wrote or edited during her esteemed career:

• “Why History? Educating the Early Childhood Workforce for Equity,” which appeared in the NAEYC book Advancing Equity and Embracing Diversity in Early Childhood Education: Elevating Voices and Actions (2021) and in Young Children (2021)
• “Addressing the African American Achievement Gaps: Three Leading Educators Issue a Call to Action,” which appeared in Young Children (2018)
• Leadership in Early Care and Education (1997)

NAEYC members can also explore the columns she wrote for Young Children during her presidency by visiting the journal’s archive (starting here).

Others have captured Barbara’s impact in their own writing and speaking. These include a Viewpoint article by Patricia (“Patsy”) M. Cooper in the Fall 2023 issue of Young Children and remarks by Carol Brunson Day at NAEYC’s 2018 Annual Conference in honor of Barbara’s 90th birthday (later shared on NAEYC’s blog).

A sampling of additional publications are listed below for further exploration.

• Editor, Love to Read: Essays in Developing and Enhancing Early Literacy Skills of African American Children. 2002. National Black Child Development Institute.
• Coeditor, Eager to Learn: Educating Our Preschoolers. 2001. National Academics Press.
• Author. Cultural Diversity and Academic Achievement: Urban Education Program. 1994. US Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, Educational Resources Information Center.
• Author. “Educating Language-Minority Children: Challenges and Opportunities.” 1989. The Phi Delta Kappan 71 (2): 118–120.