Ruth Tulchinsky, short statement on visiting the South Bend Civil Rights Heritage Center, 2010

Description:	A short statement from Ruth Tulchinsky on visiting the IU South Bend Civil Rights Heritage Center with her family. She expresses closure with the recognition of her husband Maurice Tulchinskys participation in the 1950 integration of the Engman Natatorium in South Bend, Indiana. May 8, 2010In 1950, a “young lawyer,” Maurice Mortimor Tulchinsky, together with attorney J. Chester Allen, represented the NAACP before the South Bend Park Board threatening legal action, unless the Board ruled to integrate the Engman Natatorium immediately.For twenty years, attorneys and other NAACP members had requested and petitioned desegregation and integration of this “public swimming facility.” It was finally granted at said meeting.The Park Board meeting minutes and following newspaper articles had referred to the “young lawyer” as “lawyer Kucinski” and Kuchinski” respectively. After almost 60 years and much research, Nan Tulchinsky’s letter to Dr. Lester Lamon, retired IUSB History Professor, started further research. I, Ruth Tulchinsky (wife of Maurice Tulchinsky), had written about a “Natatorium Incident” in my Life Story eight years earlier.The taped interview with Dr. Lamon, Derrick Webb – a graduate student at IUSB – and some family members can verify that “the young lawyer” was indeed Maurice Mortimor Tulchinsky.The late 40’s and early 50’s were an anxious period for us. The aftermath of WWII, the Cold War, McCarthyism, racism, and anti-Semitism impacted heavily on my husband both personally and professionally, and on me.Today, 60 years later, walking into this transformed IUSB Civil Rights Heritage Center with my family evokes different feelings. Mainly, I feel proud to know that we participated in the struggle for equal rights for all people, even during troubling times.Seeing the prism with Maurice M. Tulchinsky’s name engraved on the 40 foot wall of the Peace Garden gives me a sense of closure to my frustration and anger that my husband’s name was never mentioned in newspaper articles or verbal statements. Now, I get great satisfaction in seeing my late husband’s name so honored.P.S. to Dina Harris (or to her assistant)You may omit any part of my response to your request for a short statement. I am also enclosing a letter I sent to the Voice of the People, South Bend TribuneFrom which you may extrapolate (or take or use) any part of it.
Origin:	2010-05-08
Created By:	Tulchinsky, Ruth
Source:	http://michianamemory.sjcpl.org/cdm/ref/collection/p16827coll4/id/2452
Collection:	Civil Rights and African American History
Copyright:	This work may be under copyright. It is posted publicly for non-profit educational uses, excluding printed publication. For copyright information, contact local.history@sjcpl.org.
Subjects:	Tulchinsky, Maurice M., 1912-2001 Allen, J. Chester, 1900-1980 African Americans--Indiana--South Bend South Bend (Ind.)--Race relations

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