Cody Fowler

Cody Fowler was a lawyer in Tampa, Florida who was noted early in his career for his willingness to defend African Americans in court, something many other white lawyers at the time were unwilling to do. Fowler went on to become chairman of both Tampa and Florida’s Bi-Racial Commissions in 1959, which were formed to help the city and state to navigate racial issues. He was also appointed president of the American Bar Association in 1950, becoming the first Tampa lawyer to attain that distinction. The Cody Fowler House, which was built for him by M. Leo Elliot in 1922, is a historic home in Temple Terrace.