SAN ANTONIO – A woman who was the daughter of former slaves, who came to San Antonio in 1902, is a major part of St. Phillip’s College’s history and the city’s African-American history as a whole.
- Artemisia Bowden became the principal of St. Phillip’s Day School
- School achieved private junior college status with Bowden as its president
- Bowden retired and became dean emerita
Artemisia Bowden became the principal of St. Phillip’s Day School, an episcopal day school for black girls, the year she arrived.
In 1926, the school achieved private junior college status with Bowden as its president.
During the Great Depression, Bowden campaigned for San Antonio Independent School District to save the school, but the district refused and Bowden relentlessly kept the school afloat.
In 1942, SAISD took over and in 1954, Bowden retired and became dean emerita.
Today, St. Phillip’s College is the only college federally designated as both a historically black college and a Hispanic-serving Institution. It is located on the city’s East Side.
Bowden served on various community relation boards, including serving as president for the San Antonio Metro Council of Negro Women and is the founder of the city’s Negro Business and Professional Women’s Club.