Mattie Owens

Miss Mattie Owens was a pillar of education in Bullitt County, Kentucky, remembered for her dedication to teaching African American students in a segregated society. Mattie started her education in Bullitt County, moved to Indianapolis for grades 4-8, and then returned to Kentucky to graduate from Central High School in Louisville in 1926.

Mattie pursued higher education at Kentucky State College, earning her State Life Certificate in 1928. She taught in various schools, including Hart County, Lebanon Junction Colored School, and, notably, Bowman Valley School founded in 1916 near Shepherdsville. Mattie’s tenure at Bowman Valley, from 1935 to 1957, was during a transformative era when the school was a beacon for African American education, instructing grades 1-8 in a single room until desegregation.

After Bowman Valley closed, she furthered her education at the University of Louisville and taught second grade at Roby Elementary. Miss Owens lived a life of service, never marrying or having children. She was an active member of The Pleasant View Baptist Church until she could no longer care for herself. Her legacy lives on, encapsulated in the history of Bowman Valley School, now a symbol of educational perseverance at the Bullitt County Board of Education. Miss Owens’ story is a testament to the impact of dedicated educators in shaping countless students’ lives amidst adversity.