Anthony Bowen

Anthony Bowen
Portrait of Anthony Bowen taken in the 1860s
Born	1805 Prince George's County, Maryland
Died	1872 (aged 66–67) Washington, DC
Occupation	United States government employee

Anthony Bowen (1805-1872), born enslaved in Prince George's County, Maryland, was a resident of Washington, D.C. from 1826 until his death. After earning his freedom in 1830, Bowen became the first African-American employee of the United States Patent Office.

He was an abolitionist who harbored runaway slaves at his home on the 900 block of E Street SW, a stop on the Underground Railroad (the site is now covered by the Southeast-Southwest Freeway). In 1853, he founded the first YMCA chapter for African-Americans. That organization constructed the Twelfth Street YMCA Building in 1908, later renamed the Anthony Bowen YMCA and declared a National Historic Landmark in 1994 (the new Anthony Bowen YMCA facility is located at 1325 W Street NW). Bowen assisted in founding the St. Paul AME Church and a Sunday Evening School in 1856, allowing both groups to meet in his home. During the Civil War, Bowen encouraged President Abraham Lincoln to enlist African-American soldiers.