George F. Bowles, born enslaved in 1844 in Charleston, South Carolina, was one of the most prominent figures in Reconstruction and post-Reconstruction era Mississippi. He was a lawyer, newspaper editor, politician, and businessman. His early life remains somewhat unclear, with conflicting accounts of his parent’s status, whether one or more were enslaved or free: one source claims his father was a free man from California, while another, the Indianapolis Freeman newspaper, states he was born to enslaved parents. What is known is that Bowles received a strong education at his parent’s urging, attending schools in South Carolina, Kentucky, and Tennessee.