South Bend's Own Words

The late Rep. John Lewis speaks at Indiana University South Bend in 2001. In 2001, Charlotte Pfeifer was Director of Indiana University South Bend’s Office of Campus Diversity as well as a South Bend Common Council representative. That year she led the fifth in a series of events called “Conversations On Race.” The keynote speaker was Representative John Lewis. John Lewis passed away last Friday after a lifetime of fighting for justice. To honor his life, we present the speech he delivered here at IU South Bend in 2001. Hope you enjoy.

NOTE: Work on this episode of South Bend’s Own Words started before the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery. With respect to the uprisings in cities across the U.S. right now, we wanted to be sure their names were said. There are far too many other names to share, and our city is not immune to police violence. The murder of Eric Logan last year was only the latest in a long history. ----- The “long, hot summer of 1967” described the many uprisings in cities across the U.S. Real hurt felt by real people was large ignored by white people in positions of power. Decades of racial redlining, job discrimination, and both micro-and macro-aggressions fueled an idea that violent expression was the only recourse. In 159 cities across the U.S., a spark turned decades of oppression into violent outburst. In South Bend, Indiana, in July, 1967, a white police officer shot an unarmed African American man in the leg. His name was Melvin Phillips. That bullet sparked South Bend to join 158 other cities. Days of violent eruption followed. Today, we hear from three people who lived through, or participated in, the South Bend uprising. This episode was produced by Seth Umbaugh and George Garner. Want to learn more about South Bend’s history? View the photographs and documents that helped create it. Visit Michiana Memory at http://michianamemory.sjcpl.org/. Title music, “History Explains Itself,” from Josh Spacek. Visit his page on the Free Music Archive, http://www.freemusicarchive.org/.

Jenell Kauffman learned to embrace dual identities. Born with the name John Danforth, Jenell knew as early as age six that "it would be nice" to be a woman. What Jenell lacked was the language of the transgender experience. As a young person, John knew there were people who were cross-dressers, or drag queens. But the world John lived in was strictly gendered: girls wore girls’ clothes, and boys wore boys’ clothes. But John also knew the feeling of wanting to be something more. Eventually, John learned to incorporate Jenell and present with both identities. In 2015, Jenell sat down with St. Mary’s College professor Dr. Jamie Wagman. They spoke about Jenell’s youth, and how Jenell learned to co-exist as both Jenell and John. This episode was recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic. As we learn how to engage you and continue the work we do, we'd love to hear from you about how we do that. Go to http://crhc.iusb.edu and find our contact information. Call the Center and leave us a voicemail, or email Darryl Heller and George Garner to let us know how you are and what you think we can do during these hard times. This episode was produced by Mark Flora and George Garner. Want to learn more about South Bend’s history? View the photographs and documents that helped create it. Visit Michiana Memory at http://michianamemory.sjcpl.org/. Title music, “History Explains Itself,” from Josh Spacek. Visit his page on the Free Music Archive, http://www.freemusicarchive.org/.

Bishop Donald L. Alford is a staple along South Bend’s Western Avenue. He’s the founder and pastor of Pentecostal Cathedral Church of God in Christ, and also the founder and owner of Alford’s Mortuary. A lifelong resident of South Bend, Bishop Alford graduated from Washington High School in 1957. In 2007, Bishop Alford sat down with Indiana University South Bend professor Les Lamon, and student Sara Lowe. They talked about Bishop Alford’s life and his work, and the changes he’s seen along Western Avenue over many decades. This episode was in the works right before and released during the 2020 Coronavirus pandemic. We're all staying safe and staying at home, and if you're in a position to do so, we hope you are too. Want to learn more about South Bend’s history? View the photographs and documents that helped create it. Visit Michiana Memory at http://michianamemory.sjcpl.org/. Listen to the full, unedited interview with Bishop Alford at https://archive.org/details/OH-Alford-Donald-2007-12-04 This episode was produced by Mark Flora and George Garner. Title music, “History Explains Itself,” from Josh Spacek. Visit his page on the Free Music Archive, http://www.freemusicarchive.org/.

Federico Chico Rodriguez by IU South Bend Civil Rights Heritage Center

Glenda Rae Hernandez embraced the movement for civil rights in the U.S. south. As a college student, she signed petitions not to eat at Woolworth’s until they integrated their lunch counters. She even attended a lecture by a young Reverend, Dr. Martin Luther King. In 1965, Glenda and her husband moved to South Bend. She soon began advocating for her south east neighborhood, became an early ally to the growing Latinx community, fought discrimination against African Americans in their housing choices, rallied against war, and became a fixture in the local activist community. You’ll still see her at meetings today, carrying what seems to be her body weight in buttons with progressive messages. In 2002, she sat down with the Civil Rights Heritage Center’s David Healey. They talked about some of her many local actions against racism, and against war. Want to learn more about South Bend’s history? View the photographs and documents that helped create it. Visit Michiana Memory at http://michianamemory.sjcpl.org/. Title music, “History Explains Itself,” from Josh Spacek. Visit his page on the Free Music Archive, http://www.freemusicarchive.org/.

Dr. Irving Allen is the son of Elizabeth Fletcher and J. Chester Allen. They were lawyers who, among their many actions, helped integrate the Engman Public Natatorium. As black professionals though, the Allen’s faced aggressions—mostly from their South Bend neighbors and colleagues, but even from First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. In August 2004, Dr. Allen sat down with Dr. Les Lamon, David Healey, and John Charles Bryant. He spoke about his parents’ perceptions of racism, their history of advocacy, and their legacies. Want to learn more about South Bend’s history? View the photographs and documents that helped create it. Visit our website at http://crhc.iusb.edu and tap "Local History and Archives." Title music, “History Explains Itself,” from Josh Spacek. Visit his page on the Free Music Archive, http://www.freemusicarchive.org/.

When Barbara Brandy was nine years old, a group of her family and friends tried to come into the Engman Public Natatorium to swim. At the time, the city-owned pool was segregated by day. Monday was the only day African Americans could swim. Barbara and her friends came after church on Sunday. The white man behind the ticket booth told them, “No.” This day was just one in the 68 years she spent in South Bend. The racism she faced, the life she was able to lead, and the stories she told, have inspired countless others. Read Barbara Brandy’s recollection of her experience at the Natatorium from a 2009 article in the South Bend Tribune: http://articles.southbendtribune.com/2009-02-09/news/26736874_1_natatorium-bathing-suit-red-today Learn more of South Bend’s History from Michiana Memory: http://michianamemory.sjcpl.org/. Title music, “History Explains Itself,” from Josh Spacek. Visit his page on the Free Music Archive, http://www.freemusicarchive.org/.

Leroy and Margaret Cobb were two of the 26 people who fought severe housing discrimination in order to build a safe, stable, and wonderful neighborhood. The organization was called the Better Homes of South Bend. Read more about Better Homes from Gabrielle Robinson’s book, _Better Homes of South Bend_. Check out a copy at any of the libraries listed below, or purchase your own copy here: https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/Products/9781467118651. CRHC Library: https://crhc.libib.com/#14428744X St. Joseph County Public Library: https://sjcpl.bibliocommons.com/item/show/2117410099_better_homes_of_south_bend For more on the historic marker dedicated in the Better Homes neighborhood, visit the Indiana Historical Bureau’s site: http://www.in.gov/history/markers/4365.htm Learn more of South Bend’s History from Michiana Memory: http://michianamemory.sjcpl.org/. Title music, “History Explains Itself,” from Josh Spacek. Visit his page on the Free Music Archive, http://www.freemusicarchive.org/.

In honor of 2019's Black History Month, we're rebroadcasting some of our favorite stories from people who made South Bend's history. Helen Pope grew up on the west side of South Bend, Indiana during the 1920s. She watched her city grow and change over the eighty years she lived here. She earned a nursing license from Ivy Tech and a degree in early childhood development from IU South Bend. She worked as a nurse at the old Northern Indiana Children’s hospital, back when they segregated their patients by race. Helen helped end that horrible practice. But when South Bend started losing its factory jobs in the 1960s, African Americans were among the hardest hit. More and more jobs needed college degrees, so without equal access to higher education, lots of positions were out of reach. Helen did what she could to help. She worked with women in need as a YWCA director, and coordinated President Lyndon Johnson's Model Cities program on the West Side. She worked with the school system, with the NAACP, with Hering House, with the Urban League, and so many others. In the 1980s, she became the local coordinator of the History of Black Women in Indiana project. So she didn't just make history in South Bend—she made an effort to share stories from across the state of black women before her who also made history. Helen sat down with the Civil Rights Heritage Center twice in 2001 to talk about the ways she made history. I’ll play you an excerpt of her first interview with IU South Bend’s Kathy O’Dell, David Healey, and Dr. Les Lamon along with long-time resident John Charles Bryant.

In this first episode of IU South Bend Civil Rights Heritage Center's podcast, "South Bend's Own Words," Dr. Bernard and Audrey Vagner share their experience moving to South Bend, and their lives in this city over many decades. Dr. Bernard Vagner grew up near Shreveport, Louisiana, a place notorious for the frequency with which citizens used lynching as a method to terrorize and enforce racial segregation against people of color. He studied medicine at Xavier University with a goal of becoming a surgeon, but instead became a well regarded general practitioner. He was also key in several efforts to desegregate South Bend, particularly in the 1968 effort to pass a city wide fair housing ordinance.

Andrea Petrass lived almost her whole life in South Bend. She was assigned male at birth, and though she was able to play the part of a boy, she knew she wanted to be one of the girls. Without any role models of people who had transitioned, she had no language to express that as an option. In 2015, before her transition, Andrea sat down with Dr. Jamie Wagman from St. Mary’s College. They talked about Andrea’s childhood in South Bend, the messages she received about gender, and how, for much of her life, Andrea struggled with expressing her true self. June is Pride Month across the United States. Celebrate by connecting with The LGBTQ Center at http://www.thelgbtqcenter.org/. Also, our heart felt congratulations to Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Chasten Glezman who were married on June 16, 2018. We know that for so long LGBTQ couples, along with opposite race couples, were denied the right to marry by straight, white people. From Loving v. Virgina through Obergefell versus Hodges, the right to marry the person you choose is—and must always be—protected. Want to learn more about South Bend’s history? View the photographs and documents that helped create it. Visit Michiana Memory at http://michianamemory.sjcpl.org/. Title music, “History Explains Itself,” from Josh Spacek. Visit his page on the Free Music Archive, http://www.freemusicarchive.org/.

On April 4, 1968, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated by a white supremacist. The news echoed throughout the U.S. We hear from five people who remember that day and the immediate aftermath: Charlotte Huddleston, Willie Mae Butts, Lynn Coleman, George Neagu, and Karen White. Want to learn more about South Bend’s history? View the photographs and documents that helped create it. Visit Michiana Memory at http://michianamemory.sjcpl.org/. Title music, “History Explains Itself,” from Josh Spacek. Visit his page on the Free Music Archive, http://www.freemusicarchive.org/. Audio of Robert F. Kennedy's announcement courtesy John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum, Boston, Massachusetts.

Lois Clark is a tireless advocate for peace and justice. For four decades she served with the local Head Start, educating scores of children. As Mayor Pete Buttigieg put it when he honored Lois in 2013,"She has made an incalculable impact." But many in South Bend recognize her as one of the people who stand, or in Lois’ case, sit, on a downtown street corner protesting war. She hold signs that say “honk for peace,” and patiently waits for passers-by to do so. When they do, Lois smiles and waves. In 2016, Lois sat down with IU South Bend’s Dr. Monica Tetzlaff, Dr. Paul Mischler, and Jamie Morgan. They soaked up Lois’ wit and wisdom as she shared her philosophies on life, peace, and justice. Want to learn more about South Bend’s history? View the photographs and documents that helped create it. Visit Michiana Memory at http://michianamemory.sjcpl.org/. Listen to Lois' full oral history on Michiana Memory: http://michianamemory.sjcpl.org/cdm/ref/collection/p16827coll13/id/298 Title music, “History Explains Itself,” from Josh Spacek. Visit his page on the Free Music Archive, http://www.freemusicarchive.org/.

Anita Roberts is descended from one of the first families of color in South Bend. Her grandfather worked as a foreman at the Studebaker wagon factory, and her grandmother as a domestic worker in the Studebaker family home. As an adult, Anita moved to New York to embark on a long career, first as a union activist and later as a representative for the International Council of Shopping Centers. She participated in one of the freedom rides, fighting against segregation in a Maryland lunch counter. She even got to meet some of the 20th century’s iconic civil rights leaders like the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King. Want to learn more about South Bend’s history? View the photographs and documents that helped create it. Visit Michiana Memory at http://michianamemory.sjcpl.org/. Title music, “History Explains Itself,” from Josh Spacek. Visit his page on the Free Music Archive, http://www.freemusicarchive.org/.