First African-American to win elected public office
Elizabeth Bridgwaters (1908-1999) was one of the most influential figures in Bloomington history. In 1969, she was elected to the county school board, an office she held until 1977. Bridgwaters attended Banneker School and later enrolled at Bloomington High School. In 1930, she graduated from Indiana University and continued to earn graduate credit hours during the Depression years. When she started to look for employment, however, the only job offered her by IU was a dining hall supervisor’s position. Bridgwaters sought the Republican nomination for mayor in 1975, and the next year, she ran unsuccessfully for state representative. Her impact is reflected in the awards bestowed upon her, including but not limited to Bloomington Woman of the Year, Bloomington Woman of the Century; Sagamore of the Wabash Award; and her induction into the Monroe County Hall of Fame. Bridgwaters died in 1999.