Civil Rights Heritage Center

About

A once segregated swimming pool is used to address today's issues of diversity and access.

Story

When it opened in 1922, the Engman Public Natatorium was the largest indoor swimming pool in the state of Indiana. At the time, African Americans were moving into northern cities like South Bend in record numbers. In spite of this, and likely because of it, the leaders of this so-called "public" pool chose to exclude, and then segregate against people of color for almost thirty years.

The history of the Natatorium's racist past and its transformation into the Indiana University South Bend Civil Rights Heritage Center is a story of hope, a story of courage, and a story important enough for all to hear.

Mission

The mission of the Indiana University South Bend Civil Rights Heritage Center is to preserve the legacy of the Civil Rights Movement, as well as the history of racial and ethnic relations in the Michiana area, and to provide education, research, and forums, while examining human rights principles and challenges for future generations.