Changes

==Political career==

==Political career==

In 1961, Cowger was elected mayor of Louisville for a single four-year term along with [[Marlow W. Cook]].<ref name=wfpl/> Under this capacity, he worked to end racial discrimination and was popular among urban voters.<ref>October 3, 1971. [https://www.nytimes.com/1971/10/03/archives/william-owen-cowger-49-dies-former-kentucky-representative.html William Owen Cowgfer, 49, Dies; Former Kentucky Representative]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved September 21, 2021.</ref>

In 1961, Cowger was elected mayor of Louisville for a single four-year term along with [[Marlow W. Cook]].<ref name=wfpl/> Under this capacity, he worked to end racial discrimination and was popular among urban voters.<ref>October 3, 1971. [https://www.nytimes.com/1971/10/03/archives/william-owen-cowger-49-dies-former-kentucky-representative.html William Owen Cowgfer, 49, Dies; Former Kentucky Representative]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved September 21, 2021.</ref><ref name=agnew>Weaver, Warren (September 2, 1970).  [https://www.nytimes.com/1970/09/02/archives/agnew-to-assist-kentucky-liberal-vice-president-will-campaign-for.html AGNEW TO ASSIST KENTUCKY LIBERAL]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved September 21, 2021.</ref>

Cowger was ineligible under state law to have run for re-election in 1965.<ref name=findagrave/>  

Cowger was ineligible under state law to have run for re-election in 1965.<ref name=findagrave/>  

Cowger then won the U.S. House seat in November 1966, when his party gained forty-seven seats in the mid-term elections under [[U.S. President]] [[Lyndon B. Johnson]]. Cowger voted in favor of the [[Civil Rights Act]] of 1968 proposed by President Johnson to halt racial discrimination in the sale and rental of housing.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/90-1967/h113|title=TO PASS H.R. 2516, A BILL TO ESTABLISH PENALTIES FOR INTERFERENCE WITH CIVIL RIGHTS. INTERFERENCE WITH A PERSON ENGAGED IN ONE OF THE 8 ACTIVITIES PROTECTED UNDER THIS BILL MUST BE RACIALLY MOTIVATED TO INCUR THE BILL'S PENALTIES.}}</ref>  

Cowger then won the U.S. House seat in November 1966, when his party gained forty-seven seats in the mid-term elections under [[U.S. President]] [[Lyndon B. Johnson]]. Cowger voted in favor of the [[Civil Rights Act]] of 1968 proposed by President Johnson to halt racial discrimination in the sale and rental of housing.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/90-1967/h113|title=TO PASS H.R. 2516, A BILL TO ESTABLISH PENALTIES FOR INTERFERENCE WITH CIVIL RIGHTS. INTERFERENCE WITH A PERSON ENGAGED IN ONE OF THE 8 ACTIVITIES PROTECTED UNDER THIS BILL MUST BE RACIALLY MOTIVATED TO INCUR THE BILL'S PENALTIES.}}</ref>  

Cowger unsuccessfully sought re-election in 1970 while dealing with a fatal illness, but was defeated by Democrat Romano L. Mazzoli.<ref name=findagrave/> Cowger was the last Republican representative for the 3rd district seat until [[educator]] Ann Meagher Northup (born 1948) held the seat for the decade from 1997 to 2007. Since that time, the Democrat John Yarmuth has been consistently reelected in the district.

Despite having been bolstered by Vice President [[Spiro Agnew]],<ref name=agnew/> Cowger unsuccessfully sought re-election in 1970 while dealing with a fatal illness, but was defeated by Democrat Romano L. Mazzoli.<ref name=findagrave/> Cowger was the last Republican representative for the 3rd district seat until [[educator]] Ann Meagher Northup (born 1948) held the seat for the decade from 1997 to 2007. Since that time, the Democrat John Yarmuth has been consistently reelected in the district.

==Death and burial==

==Death and burial==