Florence Graded School was built and named for noted educator Florence Bowser around 1920. She was very devoted to establishing a local school for black students in what is now the city of Suffolk. In 1963, the school was expanded and renamed Florence Bowser Elementaryschool, then replaced by a new building in 2018.  A new historical marker was revealed on the site as descendants of Florence Bowser made a $5,000 donation to the school.