Civil Rights Heritage Center institutional records
Title
Civil Rights Heritage Center institutional records
Description
Formed in 2000, the Indiana University South Bend Civil Rights Heritage Center’s (CRHC) mission is, “to preserve the legacy of the Civil Rights Movement and the history of racial struggles and extraordinary achievements of local citizens.” First housed in IU South Bend’s Wiekamp Hall, CRHC student staff and volunteers conducted research on the African American civil rights experience in and around South Bend, Indiana. They began an extensive Oral History collection, produced several published thesis projects, and identified and acquired important archival materials of several prominent people, including Helen Pope (for whom a scholarship at IU South Bend is named after), Jesse Dickinson (African American Indiana state legislator), Dr. Bernard Streets (one of the first African American dentists), and others.
Perhaps the defining moment was re-opening the former Engman Natatorium, a once segregated swimming pool on the west side of South Bend, Indiana. Beginning circa 2005, the CRHC led various partners from IU South Bend, South Bend Heritage Foundation, and the City of South Bend to transform the dilapidated building into a new home for the Civil Rights Heritage Center. Opened in May 2010, the CRHC offers tours of local Civil Rights History, exhibitions (permanent and temporary), lecture series, and other programming.
There are a number of noted IU South Bend faculty and administrators responsible for the formation and continued operation of the CRHC, including Dr. Les Lamon, Dr. Monica Tetzlaff, Dr. Kevin Lamarr James (all former directors of the CRHC), Alfred Guillaume (former Executive Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs), and the late David Healey (Master of Arts student).
This collection consists of the institutional materials related to the various projects and programs of the CRHC. For example, meeting notes, personal letters, e-mail print-outs, promotional materials, and articles covering the formation and continued efforts of the Civil Rights Heritage Center and the transformation of the Engman Natatorium. It also includes research papers on South Bend civil rights history by the late David Healey. The collection begins in 2000, and materials are continually added to it.
Perhaps the defining moment was re-opening the former Engman Natatorium, a once segregated swimming pool on the west side of South Bend, Indiana. Beginning circa 2005, the CRHC led various partners from IU South Bend, South Bend Heritage Foundation, and the City of South Bend to transform the dilapidated building into a new home for the Civil Rights Heritage Center. Opened in May 2010, the CRHC offers tours of local Civil Rights History, exhibitions (permanent and temporary), lecture series, and other programming.
There are a number of noted IU South Bend faculty and administrators responsible for the formation and continued operation of the CRHC, including Dr. Les Lamon, Dr. Monica Tetzlaff, Dr. Kevin Lamarr James (all former directors of the CRHC), Alfred Guillaume (former Executive Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs), and the late David Healey (Master of Arts student).
This collection consists of the institutional materials related to the various projects and programs of the CRHC. For example, meeting notes, personal letters, e-mail print-outs, promotional materials, and articles covering the formation and continued efforts of the Civil Rights Heritage Center and the transformation of the Engman Natatorium. It also includes research papers on South Bend civil rights history by the late David Healey. The collection begins in 2000, and materials are continually added to it.
Collection Items
IU Purchases the Natatorium
On January 10, 2020, IU South Bend Chancellor Susan Elrod publicly announced that Indiana University was purchasing the former Engman Public Natatorium from the South Bend Heritage Foundation for $1. This folder contains images taken at the…
1,000,000 Hoodie March Event
Promotional materials and itinerary of a CRHC sponsored event entitled, “1,000,000 Hoodie March.” The march from the CRHC to the Martin Luther King Center was in reaction to the death of Trayvon Martin. Includes a clipping from The Preface, IU South…
Natatorium Dedication Photographs
Recordable compact disc (CD-R) containing digital photographs taken by CRHC’s Sara J. Lowe during the dedication ceremony of the newly re-opened Natatorium as the home of the CRHC. The event began with a ceremony at the Center for History, and guests…
Natatorium Visit
Promotional flyer for a visit by IU South Bend students to the South Bend (Engman) Natatorium on September 22, 2006. The flyer makes reference to the CRHC opening “next year” (the CRHC would not open there until 2010) as a civil rights memorial,…
Natatorium Reconstruction Photographs
Re-writable compact disc (CD-RW) containing digital photographs taken by CRHC’s Sara J. Lowe, Matt Cashore, and South Bend Heritage Foundation of the various phases in the reconstruction of the Engman Natatorium into the IU South Bend CRHC between…
Civil Rights Institute at IUSB
Contains drafts of a proposal for the Civil Rights Institute at Indiana University South Bend, later to become the Civil Rights Heritage Center. Also includes pages of notes and various correspondence about the early programs and activities of the…