Ruth Tulchinsky on the Engman Natatoriums desegregation, 2008 letter

Description:	A 2008 letter from Ruth Tulchinsky to IU South Bend Director of Foundation Relations Dina Harris on the conversion of the Engman Natatorium to the IU South Bend Civil Rights Heritage Center. Spurred by an invitation for public involvement in telling the story, Tulchinsky drew attention to the role her husband, Maurice Tulchinsky, and J. Chester Allen played in the 1950 Park Board decision to desegregate the facility. This letter reveals how garbled and incomplete meeting minutes left the names of both men out of the historical record. November 29, 2008Ms. Dina HarrisDirector of Foundation Relations I.U.S.B.1700 Mishawaka AvenueBox 7111South Bend, IN 46634-7111Dear Ms. Harris:I just received the current issue of “Foundations” and read your article on the Engman Natatorium “Prizms Become Part of History” with great interest. I liked the content of the article and your summary of past and future events as well as your plea for people to become involved in the completion of this remarkable project from segregated swimming facility to the I.U.S.B.’s Civil Rights Heritage Center.However, the omission of two names struck me when I read your reference to the threatened legal action by the NAACP. I think that this paragraph should have included the names of J. Chester Allen and Maurice M. Tulchinsky, attorneys who represented the NAACP.In as much as Mr. Allen had played a leading role in this struggle for desegregation and integration of the Natatorium for many years, he merited some recognition. In Maurice M. Tulchinsky’s case, giving his name could have corrected an error in the Park Board’s Minutes of 1950. It would also finally acknowledge the role a white lawyer played in the long battle for equal rights of black and white citizens to use the Natatorium facilities at their pleasure.Unfortunately, my husband did not get to see the planned changes for the Engman Natatorium revealed since 2001, but I would like to see a written statement that the “Young Lawyer” in the NAACP case was neither Kucinski nor Kuchinski but was Maurice M. Tulchinksy, a white lawyer who joined a black lawyer in representing a black organization during the height of McCarthyism and racism.It would also serve as a reminder that progress in Civil Rights came about in small and large communities because individuals fought to assure equal rights and opportunities to all.Needless to say, I have a personal interest in this matter but I think that a written acknowledgement of Maurice M. Tulchinsky, the “Young Lawyer” referred to in the South Bend Tribune articles and/or Minutes of the 1950 Park Board decision is long overdue.I am enclosing a copy of two addenda that I wrote to my Life Story which should explain my special interest in your article and give the reason for this rather lengthy letter.Sincerely yours,Ruth F. Tulchinsky
Origin:	2008
Created By:	Tulchinsky, Ruth
Source:	http://michianamemory.sjcpl.org/cdm/ref/collection/p16827coll4/id/2455
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:	African Americans--Indiana--South Bend Allen, J. Chester, 1900-1980 South Bend (Ind.)--Race relations Tulchinsky, Maurice M., 1912-2001

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