James Edward Bowman, Jr., was born February 5th, 1923 in Washington D.C. to his parents James Edward Sr. and Dorothy Bowman. His father was a practicing dentist and his mother was a stay-at-home parent (Oral History... 2021).

Bowman attended Dunbar High School, an education center for African-American youth before moving on to university (Oral History... 2021). 

After completing his postsecondary education, he would go on to marry his wife, Barbara (Oral History... 2021), and together they raised their daughter Valerie Jarrett (nee Bowman) in Iran (Suarez-Diaz 2017). Valerie went on to serve as Senior Advisor of the Obama Administration from 2009 to 2017.

In 1943, James E. Bowman was drafted into the United States Army, joining a three-year medical training program while enrolled at Howard University (In Memoriam... 2012). 

In 1940, one year into World War II, the American Medical Association placed limits on medical program class numbers, resulting in a shortage of doctors (Flynn 1987). The Army Specialized Training Program was created to increase numbers, enrolling privates into medical programs and drafting current students. By 1943, 13,800 male medical students were enrolled in the Specialized Training Program, being trained in 300 post-secondary institutions. 

The majority never saw active battle prior to completing their schooling as the War ended in 1945 (Flynn 1987); Dr. Bowman finished his degree and was subsequently discharged in 1946 (In Memoriam... 2012).

In 1953, Dr. Bowman was re-drafted. He served two years as Chief of Pathology in the Fitzsimmons Army Hospital Medical Nutrition Lab before the end of his service (In Memoriam... 2012).