African Americans in the Workplace
Many early African Americans in the area were farmers and small businessmen. The 1875 map of South Bend shows the East and West Races along the St. Joseph River in South Bend. Many businesses were located here due to the need for water power. The 1883 South Bend City Directory lists several Black men employed by local industries and Black women listed as domestics. By World War I, more and more Blacks were coming to the South Bend area to work in the growing number of industries in the area.
Factories such as Wilson Brothers Shirt Factory, Birdsell Manufacturing Company, Singer Sewing Machine Company and the F.P. Box Company began hiring Blacks. At one time, the Studebaker Corporation employed as many as 700 Black men and women, more than any other local company. The Oliver Chilled Plow Works also hired Blacks.
During World War II, new jobs were created due to growing industrial production for the war effort. The demand for workers was met by African Americans who moved to the South Bend area from southern states.
Many African American professionals, such as doctors, dentists and lawyers, have lived in South Bend. Others have owned their own businesses, such as barber shops and hair salons, drug stores, funeral homes, restaurants, clothes cleaning establishments, groceries and hotels. The first African American doctors in the area were Dr. Hickman and Dr. Fears.
At West Washington and Walnut Streets in downtown South Bend were the offices of: Dr. C.A. Mott, Dr. V. Gibson, Dr. S. Vagner and Dr. F. Miller. Their offices no longer exist. Dr. Casell Mott made house calls and even after he retired, people sought him for medical advice.
Dr. R. Chamblee and Dr. B. Streets also had offices on West Washington Street.
Dr. Milton A. Butts' office was located in the same neighborhood at 118 North Walnut Street.
Dr.
Milton Butts
Other doctors in the area were: Dr. W. Smith, Dr. H. Bell, Dr. G.P. Curtis, Dr. R. Love and his son, Dr. W. Love.
Rev. James L. Perry established his first pharmacy at 3503 West Washington Avenue and moved to 704 West Western Avenue in 1960. Mr. Perry operated the only Black pharmacy in South Bend.
African American lawyers in the area were: J.W. Thomas, Maurice D. Pompey, Zilford Carter, Charles Wills, J. Chester Allen Sr., his wife, Elizabeth Fletcher Allen, Nola Allen Griffin, Charles Crutchfield and J. Chester Allen, Jr.
Elizabeth Fletcher Allen was the first female lawyer in St. Joseph County and the State of Indiana. Along with her husband, J. Chester Allen, she helped form the Allen & Allen Law Firm, one of the first husband-and-wife teams in the area. Many years later, the Allens' son, J. Chester Allen, Jr., joined their law firm.
J. Chester Allen, Sr., was born on Christmas Day 1900, and was the first African American to hold the following positions: President of the St. Joseph County Bar Association, state legislator and member of the South Bend City Council. He was the first African American member of the South Bend School Board. Throughout his career he was active in housing and civil rights issues, and served as attorney for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
J. Chester Allen, Sr.
J. Chester Allen, Jr., was the first African American to become a judge in St. Joseph County.
Many African Americans in the area were barbers. Ben Powell and Otto Powell had a barber shop in Mishawaka as early as 1869 on the west side of Main Street. John B. Lott, William Walker, James Jackson and others had barber shops in South Bend. One of these shops was described as having the entire upper floor with a bath and every modern convenience at that time.
Another African American business was Higgins Funeral Home, located on Birdsell Street in South Bend. In later years, the Haynes Funeral Home was located across the street. This was also the home of the television star, Lloyd Haynes, star of "Room 222."
There were African American-owned hotels in South Bend, including the Wilder Hotel and the Liston Street Hotel, both located on Liston Street. In the 1940s, next door to the Liston Hotel, was the Colmer Grocery Store, which was an African American-owned business.
African American Milestones in Education
Indiana
History Table of
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