J. Earle Bowden

Jesse Earle Bowden (b. September 12, 1928) is the editor emeritus of the Pensacola News Journal and a local historian and preservationist.

Born in Altha, Florida, Bowden attended Florida State University before moving to Pensacola to begin his journalism career at the Pensacola News Journal.

Bowden served as editor-in-chief and vice president of the News Journal from 1966 to 1997. He was also the paper's political cartoonist until 2007, when the post was occupied by Andy Marlette, but still writes occasional columns for the opinion section. He has taught journalistic writing since 1983 at the University of West Florida, which awarded him an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters in 1985.

As editor of the News Journal, Bowden campaigned to established the Gulf Islands National Seashore, which was authorized on January 8, 1971. For his efforts, Bowden was named an Honorary Park Ranger by the Secretary of the Interior in (date needed). State Road 399 on Santa Rosa Island, which connects Pensacola Beach to Fort Pickens, was named J. Earle Bowden Way in (date needed). Much of the road was washed away in Hurricane Ivan.

Along with Pat Dodson and Mary Turner Rule Reed, Bowden helped to establish the Seville Square Historic District in 1963. He was a charter trustee of the Historic Pensacola Preservation Board when it was formed in 1967 and has served as chairman since 1982. He became president of the organization when it was transferred to the University of West Florida and renamed West Florida Historic Preservation, Inc. (WFHPI) in 1991. The Bowden Building, headquarters of WFHPI, is named for him.