Elmer Joseph, on west side Black owned businesses

South Bend's Own Words

A Mississippi native who moved to South Bend in 1944 speaks about Black businesses on the west side.

Elmer Joseph came to South Bend from a resort community in Mississippi. His family was financially well off, yet still deeply impacted by Jim Crow segregation. He attended an all-Black school—and experienced a huge culture shock when he moved to South Bend to attend Central High.

Elmer remembers some of the many west side Black businesses around Linden Avenue.* He even opened up a business of his own, running a tavern on Chapin and Western.

In 2003, Civil Rights Heritage Center historian David Healey sat down with Mr. Joseph. They talked about his experiences growing up on the west side, and what life was like for a Black business owner here in the mid-twentieth century.

* Quick note: During the recording, the host says Linden Street instead of Avenue. He must have had the last episode with Odie Mae Streets on the brain and got his wires crossed.

This episode was produced by Jon Watson from the Ernestine M. Raclin School of the Arts at IU South Bend, and by George Garner from the Civil Rights Heritage Center.

Full transcript of this episode available here.

Want to learn more about South Bend’s history? View the photographs and documents that helped create it. Visit Michiana Memory at http://michianamemory.sjcpl.org/.

Title music, “History Explains Itself,” from Josh Spacek. Visit his page on the Free Music Archive, http://www.freemusicarchive.org/.