IU President Michael A. McRobbie joined IU South Bend leaders Feb. 25 to celebrate the recent purchase of the Engman Natatorium, the permanent home of the Civil Rights Heritage Center.

The building is symbolic of the struggle for civil rights. African Americans were barred from using the public pool until a legal battle in the late 1930s. Even after the legal victory, access remained limited and segregation continued.

The building was renovated and re-opened in May 2010 as the result of a partnership between the City of South Bend, South Bend Heritage Foundation and IU South Bend. It houses the Civil Rights Heritage Center, which works to preserve and honor the social, cultural and political contributions of members of underrepresented communities in South Bend.

"During our Bicentennial Year, it is particularly fitting to underscore the fact that the enduring success of a great university, especially a great public institution like Indiana University, is predicated in large part on its commitment to embracing diversity in the broadest sense and its commitment to building a community where respect for the fundamental rights and dignity of all others is one of our cardinal values," McRobbie said. "In order to ensure that Indiana University is and remains such a community, it is vitally important that we have programs and institutions that encourage us to reflect upon our past, embolden us to act when these ideals are under threat, and inspire us to work to ensure that our communities continue to embrace these values."

McRobbie also awarded Bicentennial Medals to Alfred Guillaume, retired Executive Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs at IU South Bend, and his wife Melanie Smith-Guillaume for their commitment to the community and the Civil Rights Heritage Center.