Barbara Bowman is a pioneer in early childhood education, as well as an advocate, professor, author, and internationally renowned expert on childhood development. She was born and raised on Chicago’s south side, and her experience learning and working both across the country and around the world has shaped her understanding of how young children learn. As the federal government launched the Head Start Program in the early 1960’s, few people fully understood the early years of learning—and the importance of high-quality education for all children, across socioeconomic and racial lines. Bowman, together with child psychologist Maria Piers, social worker Lorraine Wallach, and businessman and philanthropist Irving B. Harris founded the Erikson Institute in Chicago in 1966, with the goal of empowering professionals who work with young children and families to understand child development and the promise the first years of life hold for a person’s long-term well-being. While the theories, research, and practices at Erikson have evolved over the years, the organization remains focused on early childhood and the vision of Bowman and the other founders that all children deserve high-quality care and education.

In addition to her leadership at Erikson, Bowman served as chief officer for early childhood education for the Chicago Public Schools, and during the first term of former President Barack Obama, she served as a consultant to the U.S. Secretary of Education. Even now, at age 91, she continues to work to strengthen programs for young children and families in Chicago, as well as writing, presenting at conferences, addressing issues such as the “cradle to prison pipeline” and the need for systematic changes to ensure equitable opportunities for low-income and minority children.

In addition to maintaining her operational roles at Erikson, she also continues to teach graduate students as the Irving B. Harris Professor of Child Development and serves as co-principal investigator of a project aimed at improving child-parent centers across three states. Throughout her illustrious career, Bowman has maintained a dedication to thinking critically and encouraging her students to do the same, as well as a steadfast commitment to equality and social justice for children and families.

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