Mattie Fowler (1916-2001) graduated from Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia, and received her Master of Arts degree in French from Western Reserve University. She was a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.
She served as president of the Urban League guild of Cleveland. At the 29th annual Massillon Urban League dinner in 1965, she was awarded the Human Relations Award. She was "honored for her work as a teacher, her persistence in securing equal treatment, and her perseverance in the quest for suitable housing that brought about the study by the Social Planning Council of Massillon."
After teaching in Cleveland, Ohio for 12 years, Fowler taught French and English for 21 years at Massillon Washington High School, and advised the Hi-Times staff. In a September 28, 1976 Evening Independent article about her retirement, Fowler stated "my greatest rewards are my products - my students."