Quick Facts
Biography
Ellen M. Bozman (April 21, 1925 – January 8, 2009) was an American community activist and politician in Arlington County, Virginia for nearly four decades. She became involved in politics in the early 1960's, first as an independent and later as a Democrat, and was president of the Arlington League of Women Voters from 1963–1965. She served six terms on the county board from 1973 to 1997, becoming Vice-Chair and then Chair. After her retirement from the board, she remained active in community issues such as affordable housing, health care, and education.
Career
Bozman was first elected to the Arlington County Board in 1973; she served a record six terms on the board before electing not to run for re-election in 1997. She became Vice-Chair of the Board in 1975 and Chair in 1976. During her tenure on the board, Bozman was key in the development of Metro transit in the county, with a focus on high-rises with mixed residential and retail spaces centered around Metro stations. She was an advocate for fair housing, integrated social service programs, and public education; she also was responsible for the creation of the Arlington County Farmer's Market and a countywide block party called Neighborhood Day.
She was a supporter of local public arts projects, such as Dark Star Park in Rosslyn. An early advocate for the gay and lesbian community, she appointed the first openly gay member to a community advisory board.
When Bozman retired from the Arlington County Board in 1997, the Virginia General Assembly passed a resolution commending her for "one of the most distinguished public service careers in Arlington history". Bozman received the Elizabeth and David Scull Public Service Award from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments in 1983, and was honored with the Jefferson Cup by the Virginia Association of Counties in 1997. In 1986, she was named "Washingtonian of the Year" by Washingtonian magazine. In 1998, she received an honorary doctor of humane letters degree from Marymount University."
Personal life
She was born Ellen McConnell in Springfield, Illinois. In 1946 she graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Northwestern University with a degree in political science. After receiving her bachelor's degree, she moved to the Washington, D.C. area for an internship with the National Institute of Public Affairs. She married William H. Bozman, and they had three children: William M. Bozman, Martha Bozman and Bruce H. Bozman. Ellen M. Bozman died at Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington on January 8, 2009, due to complications of breast cancer.
Legacy
In 2009, the Arlington Alliance for Housing Solutions created the Ellen Bozman Affordable Housing Award, given to recognize the work of individuals or organizations to advance the availability and/or quality of affordable housing in the Arlington area.
In 2014, a park called Ellen's Trace was opened next to an affordable housing apartment building called The Jordan. The park runs from Wilson Boulevard to 9th Street North, and includes benches and garden plantings as well as markers commemorating Bozman's contributions to the community.