Mildred Bowden, longtime South Side resident who loved Christmas and city’s vibrant Black community, dies at 101

Mildred Bowden was a lifelong South Side resident. She went to DuSable High School with a number of well-known Chicagoans and worked at the famed Rhumboogie Cafe. (Courtesy of Hermene Hartman)

Mildred Bowden always loved Christmastime. Her extended family would have large, bustling dinners and gatherings throughout the season, starting with Bowden’s own “Egg Nog & Champagne Sip” tradition.

The longtime South Side resident loved buying children who were in need Christmas presents, and she loved to take the kids in her life to see “The Nutcracker.”