South Bend reparatory justice committee presents recommendations addressing racial inequities

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Members of the South Bend Reparatory Justice Committee presented recommendations to the South Bend Common Council on Monday aimed at addressing the lasting effects of racial discrimination in the city.

The recommendations, developed by several subcommittees focused on economic development, housing, education and health care, stem from a report examining historical barriers faced by Black residents in South Bend.

The economic development report highlighted personal accounts of discrimination in employment, including at Studebaker, where African Americans were often restricted to the lowest-paying and most dangerous jobs.

Recommendations include creating financial literacy video programs for minority youth and promoting existing Black-owned businesses.

Judith Fox, professor emeritus at Notre Dame Law School, said discrimination has been embedded in South Bend’s history since its founding.

“The city of South Bend was created in 1823. It was a very unfriendly place for Blacks,” Fox said. “You had very few civil rights, and in fact it wasn’t even legal to live here unless you could prove you were free.”

The housing subcommittee examined racial covenants that prohibited African Americans from owning property and documented the destruction of Black neighborhoods during federal housing development efforts.

Recommendations include improving infrastructure and supporting investment in affordable and accessible housing.

The education report cited examples of racial disparities in schools, including accounts from former African American students who were discouraged from pursuing higher education. It also referenced historical inequities, including conditions at Linden School.

“Two former African American administrators described how counselors told them and told their parents that they should pursue something other than a college education,” said Alma Powell, a retired school administrator. “I happen to be one of those students that heard that.”

Recommendations from the education subcommittee include expanding access to mental health services to reduce racial disparities and increasing promotion of college-credit courses to Black students.

The health care subcommittee detailed documented medical mistreatment and shared oral histories from Dr. Ronald Chamble regarding segregation at Memorial and St. Joseph hospitals. The report also examined how historical abuse contributed to mistrust of the medical system.

Health-related recommendations include requiring public health equity reporting and establishing an advisory group of Black health care providers.

The committee’s full report is available online and will be presented publicly on June 29 at the library.