Now housed in the former Engman Public Natatorium – South Bend, Indiana's first swimming pool that excluded and then segregated against African Americans for almost thirty years – the CRHC is dedicated to the preservation of the legacy of the Civil Rights Movement, as well as the history of race and ethnic relations in the South Bend area, and seeks to provide education, research, and forums, while examining human rights principles and challenges for future generations.
Located within the West Washington National Historic Register District, the Engman Natatorium opened in 1922 as a public swimming pool that limited use to whites and was not fully integrated until 1950.
These students returned from Freedom Summer 2000 and founded the Civil Rights Heritage Center to record, preserve, and highlight the struggles and achievements of citizens committed to social justice.
This unique rebirth of the public pool, which was honored in South Bend's designation as an All-America City in 2011 and a 2014 Freedom Award presented at the Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Indiana Statehouse Celebration, now pays tribute to the civil-rights contributions of local citizens.
It represents a legacy of determination and triumph and stands as a symbol of justice won, in a community committed to healing its past.